Behind the Mask
by Cup-Noodles
Summary: "Behind every mask there is a face, & behind that a story" -Marty Rubin; so it is for Levi & Mikasa. They must grow from the pain of the past to destroy humanity's greatest threat. Together, with the help of friends, they will defeat the titans once & for all. LevixMikasa Full summary inside.
1. Chapter 1

Summary: Levi just wanted to be alone but the _seemingly_ drunken Mikasa stumbles across his path. Little did they know that their adventure together was only beginning. The unlikely pair was about to form a friendship that neither of them expected but desperately needed.

A/N: This story follows the events of season 1 then continues on until the annihilation of the titans.

Happy Reading,

Cup-Noodles

P.S. As you can tell, I'm really bad at summaries but please give this story a chance.

 **Chapter 1**

It only took a moment to turn a person's whole life upside down. Mikasa knew that well enough. The first time that happened, she had been weak and defenseless. Money, greed - that was the reason her parents were murdered. Mikasa could at least make some sense of their death. But now?

The Titan towered over the wall. She froze. She had gotten stronger since the day of her parents' death. But it was like she was being reduced to a helpless child all over again. She could hear the terrible sound of stone crumbling under the titan's power.

Her face was expressionless. That was the mask she wore. That was how she protected herself. She had used that technique for most of her life. But she was so tired, so alone. She couldn't blame anyone because this was the role she had chosen for herself. She had chosen to be a protector. She couldn't confide in Eren or Armin because her first priority was to protect them. To show any sign of weakness or vulnerability was to ask them to protect her instead. She loved them too much to place that burden on them. She would protect them, no matter what.

Levi looked at his students. He wore a board expression. How many of them would still be alive in five years? In ten years? These were children. But what could he do? They lived in a cruel world. All he could do was train them to the best of his ability. That meant reducing them to nothing and building them back up. That meant putting them under so much stress so that they wouldn't break down when titan teeth closed down on the screaming bodies of their fellow soldiers and friends.

"Worthless, all of you." That was his opening line to the 104th trainee squad.


	2. Chapter 2

\- Chapter 2-

The 104th squad were nearing the end of their training. They would be graduating in a few weeks. Over the course of this time, certain students had shown themselves to me more skilled than overs. One, in particular, had shown herself to be the strongest, and she had done so consistently. Whether it was combat, 3DMG, or in class. She was strong, physically and mentally. As for emotionally, she didn't show much emotion. She was a star pupil but one thing worried Levi. Mikasa was particularly protective of Eren. It was like that was her purpose. Levi feared that if Eren would die (and given his hatred for titans and his reckless behavior, it was quite likely), Mikasa would give up. The opposite could happen as well, she might be so enraged by Eren's death that she would become a much better fighter; that was what happened to him, after all. But it was more likely that she would give up all hope if Eren were killed.

Levi looked up from his desk. It was 7 o'clock on a Friday night. Pretty much everyone had left the base. Even the recruits were given leave for the weekend. He looked at the stack of papers he had filled out. A whole week of just filling out reports and he was still three months behind on paperwork. Erwin had taken him off of teaching and missions because of the amount of back log he had. Paper work, paper work, paper work. Levi sighed and closed his eyes. He blew out his candle and looked around his room, illuminated by the pale blue moonlight. He reached for his 3DMG and carefully strapped himself in.

He opened the window and shot across the base, leaving it behind him. There was a pub he liked to visit. It was at the edge of town. Because it was so far away, few people from the base went there. He took off his 3DMG and hid it behind a building before going inside the pub. He found a table in the corner and quietly sat in the dark, drinking his tea.

A few tables away, there were three teenagers, two boys and a girl. The girl had funky red hair. She laughed as one of the boys said a joke. All of a sudden, he couldn't breathe. It was like he was seeing himself.

 **AN:** If you haven't read "A Choice with No Regrets" read that first. There will be spoilers from that story and I will refer to it quite often. You have been warned, there are spoilers ahead.

"Farlan, Isabel, I'm sorry." He said softly. He left some change on the table and stumbled outside. It had been a really long time since their death but it still hurt every time he thought about it. Oh, how he wanted to forget. He walked quietly in the dark. He found himself climbing a staircase that lead to a roof. He looked up at the peaceful night sky. He heard someone behind him and he quickly turned around. It was a girl with raven black hair.

"I'm sorry," she said, "I didn't think anyone would be up here." Levi looked at her, suddenly realizing it was Mikasa. He was wearing a dark grey hoodie that was pulled over his head. It covered his face and cravat and so she did not recognize him.

"It's alright." He said, hoping she wouldn't recognize his voice. He looked at her face and realized she had been crying. "The roof top's big enough for two people." She nodded silently and walked across to the other side of the roof top. She was crying again. Levi watched her getting dangerously close to the edge of the roof. He trusted Mikasa's ability to balance but she was, for one, crying, which was so unlike her and she was, two, slightly drunk. Levi could smell the beer on her. Levi rushed over and pulled her away from the ledge by her wrist. He pulled her tightly into his arms, expecting her to fight back. "Don't do it," he whispered into her ear, "Don't jump. Whatever is going on right now, it's not worth throwing your life away." Mikasa burst out laughing. Levi let go of her.

"You thought I was going to jump?" she said still laughing, "Just because a girl is crying, doesn't mean she's going to killer herself."

"I didn't know if you were okay and I could smell the beer, so I assumed…" he trailed off

"Someone spilled a beer on me, I don't drink anyway." She gave him a sad smile and neither one of them spoke for some time.

"So, why are you up here?" she finally said, "Only sad people come up here." He didn't like to talk about how he felt. But this was different, 'She doesn't know whe she's talking to' he said to himself. He could tell her anything and not be afraid that she would judge him. And besides, he had seen her hurting as well. "I lost somebody… two people actually."

"Me too." She said, "Today is the anniversary of their death."

 **AN:** What do you guys think? Let me know. Please review.


	3. Chapter 3

\- Chapter 3 -

They had been given the weekend off and everyone wanted to do something fun.

"Come on, Mikasa," called Armin

"You guys go on ahead." She replied

"Are you going to be okay?" asked Eren, realizing that it was the anniversary of Mikasa's parent's death.

"I will be fine, I just need some time alone." She left the base and wondered around the town for several hours. She didn't really want to bump into anyone she knew. She was walking past a pub at the edge of town when three men came out. All of them were obviously drunk. They blocked her path.

"What's a pretty face like you doing all alone?" asked one of the men. She didn't answer. "Hey, I'm talking to you!" The man reached out and grabbed her by the arm. She released herself from his hold and pushed him away from her. The drink that was in his hand spilled onto her shirt. The other two laughed.

"She's a little feisty. Isn't she?" said the other man.

"Let me pass." said Mikasa, her voice monotone and her expression blank

"You think the boss will like her?" asked the other man, ignoring Mikasa's demand

"I think so, it looks like she's got some Asian blood too." Something snapped in her. Their words echoed in her head 'Asian blood' 'Pretty face'. Both men were taller than her. She kicked one man in the knee cap and punched him in the throat. He clenched his throat and gasped for air. His friend grabbed at her but she dogged his grasp and kicked him on the side of his leg, a little above the knee. He stumbled down in pain. She ran away, wanting to be alone, now, more than ever. Tears started to run down her face. 'I'm over this' she said to herself, 'I've come to terms with their death'. She ran up a staircase that lead to the roof of one of the shops. There was a man standing there. She couldn't really see his face. They exchanged a few words and she walked to the edge of the roof to see if the men were still in the street below. Suddenly, the man grabbed her wrist and pulled her away from the edge of the roof. She could have pushed him away, but there was something familiar about him. "Don't do it," he whispered into her ear, "Don't jump. Whatever is going on right now, it's not worth throwing your life away." His words somehow made her laughed. She just found it funny that he would assume that she was trying to commit suicide. He let go of her and she realized that it had been a long time since anyone had held her in an embrace.

"You thought I was going to jump?" she said still laughing, "Just because a girl is crying, doesn't mean she's going to killer herself."

"I didn't know if you were okay and I could smell the beer, so I assumed…" he trailed off

"Someone spilled a beer on me, I don't drink anyway." She gave him a sad smile and looked up at his face. She froze. It was dark and his hoodie was covering most of his face but she recognized him. It was Captain Levi. Neither one of them spoke for some time. She thought back to the last few minutes. He hadn't called her brat and he hadn't shouted at her to go away when she first stumbled onto the roof. Why was he being nice? She noticed his somber expression. He looked more sad than usual. Could it be that he didn't recognize her? Impossible. 'Well,' she thought, 'if he's going to treat me like a stranger, I'll just do the same.'


	4. Chapter 4

A/N Thank you all for the follows and reviews. You asked, so here is the next chapter. My chapters are pretty short so I'll try to upload frequently.

-Chapter 4—

"So, why are you up here?" she finally said, "Only sad people come up here."

"I lost somebody… two people actually."

"Me too." she said, "Today is the anniversary of their death." 'Why am I telling him?!' she thought. He was her commanding officer and she was talking to him like a peer. But there was something about him hurting as well that drew her heart out to him.

"Titans?" he asked

"No, humans. My parents were murdered when I was nine." She said solemnly

Levi never knew that about her. Come to think of it, he didn't know much about her at all.

"Who did you lose?" asked Mikasa, throwing the ball into his court

"Well, that's a very personal question for someone I just met." He was curious. He wanted to know more about her. "Tell me about yourself."

"How 'bout you tell me what your name is." Now, it was her turn to question him. She wanted to see if he would really try to pass off as someone else.

"It's getting kind of late, don't you think?" he replied. It was only 9 o'clock but he knew he was playing a dangerous game, trying to passing off as someone else. He was also fraternizing with one of his students, another dangerous thing to do. His reputation could be destroyed if Mikasa figured out who she was talking and if she told other people about it.

"I understand," she said, getting up. She walked to the stair case and turned around before descending, "If you ever want to talk, you know where to find me." She looked into his eyes. At that moment he knew that she saw him for who he was. She knew he was Levi and she also knew that he wasn't "Humanity's Strongest". He was just another broken soul, wanting to heal. "You don't have to hide who you are, not from me."

Suddenly realizing what she was doing, Mikasa hurried down the stairs. Levi called after, "My office, a week from today at 1900."


	5. Chapter 5

-Chapter 5-

It took Mikasa much longer to get back to the base than it did Levi. She walked through the dark alleys in the cool night air. She got back to the base, changed, and sat on the sill of her open window. She closed her eyes and cried. Mikasa, broken and vulnerable.

Monday morning rolled by quickly. Levi stood by his office window watching the soon to be graduates stand at attention. He saw Mikasa standing straight, her eyes staring into the distance. Her face, expressionless. A perfect model of military discipline. Where was the girl he had talked to a few nights ago?

Days passed by slowly as Levi was still stuck in his office filling out reports. He could not wait for Friday to come by. There was something strange about Mikasa, something intriguing. What was it? Was it her skill? Her Strength? No, it was the fact that she, like him, wore a mask. Levi wore the mask well. He could pass off as an uncaring wretch but the same mask did not quite fit on Mikasa. Although she tried to wear it, her emotions still showed through whenever it related to Eren, Armin, or the value of human life.

When Friday finally came, Levi waited for Mikasa in his office. At 7:00 o'clock, precisely, a knock came on Levi's door. "Come in." said Levi in a leveled tone. Mikasa went in and closed the door behind her. Levi was still at his desk, writing reports. Mikasa stood at attention waiting for him to set the tone of the coming conversation. Levi didn't feel comfortable. They were at the base and both of them wore their respective uniforms clearly marking the rank and difference in their position.

"Take a seat." said Levi, gesturing to the seat across his desk. He took out another tea cup out of his drawer and poured Mikasa a cup. She sat silently. Levi, after sliding the cup of tea to her side of the table, went back to writing reports. He felt awkward returning to the topic they had started a week ago. But he somehow did not feel awkward with Mikasa just sitting there. It was like she understood his dilemma. She picked up a book on tactical strategies that was on the table and began to silently read. They continued like this for the next three hours.

Levi looked up and saw that Mikasa was dozing off. It had been a long day of training for her, especially with graduation fast approaching. "It's late," he finally said, "you should go." She nodded and stood up. "Captain," she said before exiting the room, "thank you for the tea." And just like that, she was gone.


	6. Chapter 6

\- Chapter 6: Beautiful Silence -

It was Sunday, a little past midnight. The light in Levi's office was still on. Mikasa found her feet leading her to his office. She knocked on his door softly.

"Come in," came the stern voice. The element of annoyance, clearly present in his voice. She entered and stood before him. A look of surprise crossed his face, and just like that, it was gone again. The blank expression that he often wore came back and with his usual, emotionless voice, he said, "Have a seat."

She didn't ask if he wanted to talk or if he needed help. She just sat down and started to read the book she had begun the last time they met. He slid over a cup of tea and they both sat silently, each doing his and her own thing.

For many nights to come, they would continue to meet like this. They would just sit in silence, enjoying each other's company. Maybe one day they would talk. Or maybe not. But for now, it was enough to know that there was another human being who understood. They both knew that each had gone through tremendous pain. They both knew that, for the sake of others, they both wore a mask. Mikasa wore it for Eren and Armin. She wore it so that she would be strong for them. She didn't show either of her childhood friends her weak side, her gentle side. Levi wore it to protect humanity. He did it to give people hope. He did it to give little children someone to believe in. He did it to show the world that there was someone stronger than the gigantic humanoid creatures that threatened their existence. But there was another reason that they wore their "cold hearted" masks. It was also to protect themselves and to keep others away. It was to cover their vulnerability and to, for a moment, pretend that they could survive, that they could live, in this cruel world.

 **AN:** This is a super short chapter, I know. But I hope you guys like it so far. I have the whole story outlined in my head and I really want to work on it but alas, real life and the responsibilities that come with it have to be faced. I won't be posting new chapters for a while. You can stop reading at this point in time since I pretty much leave it open ended with the suggestion that the relationship between them and their comfort level with each other is slowly growing. If you guys want me to continue, please comment and let me know what you think. The more people that comment the more motivated I will be to write and set aside time for this fic. If you do stick around, here is the synopsis for the next chapter I'm writing:

 **The Night Before Life Begins**

After many long nights of silent companionship, the night before graduation has arrived. Knowing that this may be the last time he talks to Mikasa before she chooses her occupation from the three military branches, Levi asks her about her past.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N:** I really wasn't planning on writing until later on but I was motivated to write by your reviews. I'm trading some hours of sleep to write but it brings me joy to know that people want to know what happens in my story. Your reviews fill me with joy.

-Chapter 7: The Day Before Life Begins-

It was late afternoon, the day before graduation. The trainees had completed their final exercise that morning and they had been given the afternoon off. Mikasa sat across from Levi. Her hands absent mindedly playing with the end of her scarf. Levi looked up from his reports and watched her silently. Finally, he spoke up, breaking the silence.

"Why do you always wear that scarf?"

"It was a gift," she replied not looking up from her book. He continued to stare at her. "It was a cold night," she began, this time she looked up from her book, "No, that's not how this story begins." She said, shaking her head. "It was a beautiful morning. I remember the golden beams of dawn pierce through the heavy curtains as I lay on a soft white bed. I remember getting up and tip toeing across my room to open the window. Fresh air poured into my room as I opened the shutters. The sunlight streamed into the room making my shadow to look tall across the floor. I remember my father calling me downstairs and asking me to bring some water from the well. We went out to the well, he had a big bucket in his strong capable hands while I had a little one. I remember him splashing some water on me. I splashed some on him and we laughed all the way back to the house…" she paused as she recalled the details of that day.

"Breakfast was ready when we got back. Fresh, homemade bread was on the table." She said with a sad smile on her face. "There was also some stew. That morning was perfect. I remember mom teaching me how to sew… then there was a knock on the door..." she paused a long while before continuing. "Dr. Yeager, Eren's father, was coming to visit us. My father opened the door. He didn't even have time to react. They cut him down, like a small branch on a frail tree. My father, the strong man I trusted, so easily defeated. They struck at him and he fell. His body splayed on the floor, blood everywhere. My mother, seeing what happened, tried to fight back. She grabbed the first thing she could, knowing she would not succeed, hoping she could give me enough time to run. She fell, her blood seeping into the wooden floor. Her sacrifice was for nothing. They took me. Bound me. Hit me. I was to be sold to the highest bidder….." Levi could tell how grueling her horrible experience was from the shaking in her voice. "They wanted me for my oriental blood." Her voice reveled the loathing and anger in her voice, "I remember feeling empty and cold." Her voice became soft, it was as if she had just been defeated. Levi listened, knowing the pain of losing a loved one.

"Then Eren came, a small child. He came with a knife and blood on his hands. He fought for me. Risking his own life so that I would live. How could a small child defeat grown men? Grown men that even my father could not defeat?" she asked, her eyes were directed at Levi but he could tell that she wasn't looking at him. She was looking through him, into the distance of the past. "Then one of the man got him. Eren couldn't fight back anymore. He called to me, telling me to fight. To fight for my own life. There was a knife on the floor. I took it and ran forward. Stabbing the man who had taken so much from me. I was nine years old and that was the first time I ever took a life." She paused this time, her eyes focused on Levi, she was back in the present again. "It was a beautiful morning that turned into cold night. The military police came. They asked me and Eren questions repeatedly. Seeing that I was cold, Eren wrapped this scarf around me." She tugged at her scarf.

"So to answer your question, I wear this scarf as a reminder and as a promise. A reminder of that dreadful day. How a life can be changed in an instant and, most importantly, how small people can fight back. In part, that's why I want to kill titans, because I believe that the small people can succeed against the big."

"And the promise?" Levi asked

"I think I've said enough for one meeting." she said getting up, "It's almost dinner, after all."

Levi watched her head to the door. He knew that he needed to tell her something. He knew that if he didn't say something now, he may never open up to another human being. "Farlan Church and Isabel Magnolia" he said before she left his office. She paused, waiting for him to continue, "They were the first people I lost to the titans…" The moment the words left his mouth, it was as if a great burden had been taken off of him. That was the power of confession. "Thank you," he said sitting back down. Mikasa nodded with that sad smile on her face and left the room.

 **A/N:** Mikasa has finally told her story. When will Levi tell his? Thank you guys so much for the reviews. It means so much to me. When I get a review, I feel this excitement. To have another human being read something that I created and for that person to say that they enjoyed my story means so much to me. Again, thank you! :)

I really like the next chapter. I should be uploading it soon.

 **Next chapter: Graduation-The Calm Before the Storm**

Mikasa, Eren, and Armin must decide which branch of the military they will join. Levi, knowing which one they would choose, tries to convince Mikasa otherwise.


	8. Chapter 8

**-Chapter 8: Graduation-The Calm Before the Storm—**

Levi saw Mikasa across the dining hall. He had just finished his dinner and he and the survey corps were about to leave for a short mission concerning a crack on the wall a few miles from Trost. It wasn't big enough for a titan to pass through but still, it something that needed to be faced quickly. Normally, the Garrison would tend to the wall however, the crack was on the outside and titans were gathering. The survey corps were to protect the Garrison while they worked through the night to repair the breach in the wall. He would miss the graduation. He got up as Mikasa turned to leave.

He caught up to her just outside the dining hall. "I'm leaving for a mission," he said. "I heard about Eren's speech, him joining the survey corps and all. You're joining too, aren't you?" she nodded without looking up to meet his eyes.

"Don't do it." She was a good soldier but it was just a matter of time before she would become titan food. "You, Eren, and Armin all made it into the top 10. You can join the military police. Don't join the Scouts. Convince Eren."

"This scarf," she said, now looking up to meet his gaze, "The promise I took is this: that I would defend the people I love and that I would not give up. This scarf is a declaration that I refuse to be a victim. I refuse to let others decide what happens to my life. Right now, the titans are deciding where I can life and how I live my life. I refuse to let them win. To join the Military Police, is the same as to admit that I can't do anything about the titans. To me, choosing any branch other than the Scouts is to admit defeat. Thank you for your concern, Captain, but I choose the Scouts."

She found Eren and Armin Later that night. They were sitting on the concrete steps of the training room. No one else was there. She sat beside them and all three stared up at the stars. "I'm joining the scouts." said Mikasa. Armin had expected this but Eren protested. "Are you kidding me? You ranked first in our class! You would be a fool not to join the Military Police."

"I've made my choice, Eren" said Mikasa coolly.

"So have I." said Armin

"You both made the top 10" said Eren, "you don't have to follow me. You have options."

"We all made top 10," said Armin, "you also have the opportunity to join the MP. You have your reasons for joining, so do we."

"It looks like fate will keep us together a bit longer." Said Mikasa. They continued to watch the stars in silence, they stayed long into the night.

 **A/N:** This is a chapter that I really liked writing. Even though Mikasa is a strong character in Attack on Titan, there is this perception that she is weak because her only purpose is to support and protect Eren. I liked writing this chapter because it shows Mikasa choosing the Scouts not just for Eren but for herself as well. While protecting Eren is one of her main goals, she is also fighting the titans for herself. I also liked that Armin was in this chapter.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N:** Hey! Cup-Noodles here :)

Please comment and let me know what you think. Is the story too fast or too slow? Would you like to see more of the other characters in the story? What do you think of Levi and Mikasa's relationship? What about Eren and Armin? Would you like to see more of them? Comments also let me know that people actually are reading this. By the way, do you guys like the new cover picture for the story? Let me know.

Till then,

Cup-Noodles

 **-Chapter 9: A Woman's Anger-**

 **Setting:** They had barely graduated when all hell broke loose. Over the course of several days, the best and the worst of the newly graduated 104th training squadron had come out. Eren had come to know his titan powers and had saved hundreds of lives. He had also been bound and marked as a potential threat because of his power. He had gone to trial and had been handed over to Levi to be trained and used to humanity's best interest. Levi swears to kill Eren himself if he is unable to control his power or if he cannot be trusted. Several squads of the Survey Corp, including Levi, Hanji, and Erwin's squad, relocate their headquarters to a remote location to train Eren. Armin, because of his brilliance and scientific interest, is assigned to Hanji's squad. Mikasa is assigned to Erwin's squad.

 **Present Day:** Mikasa had not seen Levi since that day in court. He had beaten Eren in open court and had taken Eren into protective custody without letting her say goodbye or seeing how he was. A full two weeks had passed and in that time, she had not ween Eren or Levi. They had moved the Survey Corps headquarters a few days ago. They had cleaned it top to bottom (Levi's orders, of course, but he had not shown himself and had just sent messengers to the soldiers).

That morning, Mikasa found out that Levi was staying in the 13th room of the offer's quarters. It was all the way across the Survey Corps grounds. Mikasa was not released from her duties until 8:30 that night. She stormed out of the hall she had been cleaning and across the open lawn. She had been assigned to clean the south west building and it was quite a walk to the Officer's Quarters. There was a guard posted outside the entrance.

"Hey!" the man cried, "You can't go in this is—" Mikasa hit the man in the throat before he was able to finish his sentence. Two more guards emerged. They stretched out their hands getting ready to catch her.

"Let her pass." said a cool voice, it was Hanji, "She has business here." Mikasa nodded and continued on to the third floor. She didn't knock when she arrived at his door. She flung the door open finding Levi sitting on his bed, reading a report.

"You are a coward!" the words passed through her gritted teach and came out as a growl, "I told you a long time ago that I would protect the people I love. How dare you hurt Eren?!" she advanced on him, "What is he to you? Some toy that you can torture and humiliate as you please? Then you took him away from me and locked yourself away in your office. You are a coward!" she repeated. She paused a few feet away from him, waiting for his response.

"We are dealing with greater circumstances than you understand." his voice was smooth and level, concealing his emotions, "Do you think that I should take your feelings into consideration every time I act? I am protecting Eren."

"Is that how you protected Farlan and Isabel?" she said with a scoff. Deep down inside, she knew he was right. She knew that Levi had saved Eren from execution and she knew that what she had just said was unfair. But she was angry and the time that she had been separated from Eren had done nothing to sooth her anger. She looked into his face and was shocked to see that the pain her words had inflicted was clearly visible on his face. She had meant them to hurt but seeing him now, she wished a thousand times over that she had stayed her tongue.

"I'm sorry.." she said softly, "I'm sorry" she collapsed onto her knees, she felt the exhaustion of the last few weeks catching up to her. "I'm so tired," she said, "I'm so tired of fighting." Her voice was low and raspy.

"Then rest," said Levi, he was beside. He pulled her up by her elbows, "sleep and know that I forgive you." It was a long walk back to Mikasa's quarters so Levi gestured to his bed. He took his own coat, tuned off his lamp and left the room. He headed to his office to sleep in his stiff leather chair.

Mikasa stood alone in the dark room. She lay down on his bed, his warmth still present. She fell into a deep sleep.

 **Next Chapter: Nightmares**

In the darkness of the night, dreams of death come to visit Mikasa.


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Here it is. I hope it doesn't have anymore issues.

 **-Chapter 9: Nightmares-**

It was early morning when troubling dreams came to Mikasa. She was standing on a roof top on one of Trost's houses. The Colossal Titan had just broken through the wall and titans were streaming into the city. People were dying all around her. She started to run, her arms pumping, her legs moving rhythmically. She jumped off of the roof, arching her back, she pulled the 3DMG trigger. She braced herself for the force that would pull her forward. But the pull of her gear didn't come. She fell through the air. She pulled the trigger again and again but no metal wires shot out. She crashed against the ground. She unsheathed her blades but they fell off, broken and dull. The titans were closing in.

One by one her comrades fell. She ran into a plaza, there was a bearded titan standing there. It was watching her. He reached down to grab her. Armin saw her and shot at the titan. He aimed for the name of the neck but at the last minute the titan rotated and grabbed him. She screamed but it was too late. The titan had Armin in his hands. The titan closed his fist. Armin was gone.

Eren flew across the roof tops. Tears were streaming down his cheeks. He struck at the titan but no matter how many times he hit the nape of the neck, the titan would not die. Abnormal titans started to swarm around him. They tore him apart. This time, Eren did not turn into a titan. His body, or at least parts of it, fell to the ground. His face was still intact, but blood covered his cheeks, his eyes still open.

Mikasa ran forward, cradling his body. She wept over him. All she had done and accomplished was for nothing. When it came down to it, she could do nothing to save him. There was a titan that was moving toward her. Mikasa looked at its face. It was the same titan that had eaten Eren's mother. She reached down and grabbed her. Mikasa went limp. She froze and let the titan close its massive fingers around her. The fingers closed tighter and tighter.

She could feel the pressure on her arms. It was shaking her back and forth. She suddenly awoke. It was Levi. He was shaking her by the shoulders.

"You were screaming." Said Levi in a matter of fact way.

"I'm sorry." She said. It was dawn and the golden beams of sunlight was flooding in through the window. She had had this dream several times in the past few days. It started and ended the same way every time. When everyone else was dead, she would die too.

"It was a while before I stopped having nightmares," said Levi

"How did you overcome them?" she asked

"I accepted the fact that I had done everything I could possibly do to save them. I'm human. I can't save everyone. I couldn't have known what would happen….I forget that sometimes so I just need to remind myself…."

That night, Mikasa had the same dream. Eren was lying dead in her arms. But this time, when the titan reached down to get her, she ran. She unstrapped her maneuver gear and ran for her life. She saw a soldier's body. She inspected his equipment. His maneuver gears was still intact. She strapped herself in and shot the mettle cables. She swung around in a big arc her blades were drawn. They bit down into the titan's neck. The titan fell.

Mikasa was all alone. She felt the great pain of loss but she knew she would survive.

She woke up. She chose to live.

She never had that dream again.

 **A/N:** How do you guys like it so far? Please comment and review.


	11. Chapter 11

**-Chapter 11: Subordinate—**

 **A/N:** In the last chapter, the story went from Mikasa having bad dreams while in Levi's room to waking up in the morning and then the story skips to night time again where Mikasa conquers her nightmare. This chapter takes place during that "skip" in the timeline, a few hours after Mikasa left Levi's room.

It was 0700 when Levi heard a knock on the door of his room. _"It better be important."_ thought Levi. Breakfast was starting in 15 minutes and he did not want to be late. He had already missed dinner from the night before.

"Come in." he called out. Erwin came in. Levi raised an eyebrow. "It's a bit early for official matters," said Levi, "I have the morning off, today."

"I know," said Erwin, "this isn't really official business. In a way it is, but this is concerning personal matters and _relationships._ " Levi could tell that Erwin had deliberately slowed down to emphasize the word "relationship".

"Oh?" said Levi, his voice revealing nothing

"Your personal love life is your own, but when it comes to the military-" began Erwin

"My what?" asked Levi cutting Erwin off, this time he sounded confused

"I'm not going to beat around the bush, I saw Mikasa leave your quarters this morning."

"Oh…" was all Levi could say

"Did she stay the whole night?" asked Erwin. How could Levi answer the question? Yes, she had stayed the night but nothing had happened.

"Nothing inappropriate happened." said Levi, his usual calm was back, "She came to confront me about Eren and what I did in court that day. I calmed her down, explained it was for the best and told her to just stay the night. It was late and the new recruit quarters are all the wat on the other side of the grounds. It thought it was best. Nothing happened between us. She stayed here and I went to my office and worked on some reports. I returned at dawn, woke her up, and she left. That's it."

"Why?" asked Erwin, when Levi just looked at him, unsure of that he was really asking, Erwin continued. "Any other person you would have sent her home. You wouldn't have even explained yourself. You would have cussed her out and punished her by making her clean this whole building. Why were you kind?...It's uncharacteristic of you."

"Tch." was all Levi said. He thought for a minute, it was true, he had not treated her like he would have treated any other person.

"Do you care for her?" Levi gave a slight nod of the head. He wasn't sure of how he felt about her, exactly. He wasn't sure if she was a friend, confidant, or lover. One thing he did know, he cared for her. He cared for her deeply.

"As a person, what you do is your own business but as a soldier, a captain no less, your first responsibility is to the Survey Corp. Another soldier could have a relationship but _you_ are humanity's strongest. Don't let yourself get distracted. In our line of work, one mistake outside the walls could kill you. Your priority is humanity's wellbeing, not your lonely heart. Remember, she is your subordinate. It's a tricky business getting involved with a fellow soldier, even much more that she is your subordinate. Don't forget the kind of world we live in. Either of you could die at any day."

That was the life Erwin had chosen. He had chosen his work over his own desires. Was that was Levi was supposed to do? Could he not defend humanity and have a friend at his side. Was his relationship with Mikasa so dangerous?

 **Next Chapter: Repercussions**

If only Hanji kept her mouth shut, then the whole entire base wouldn't be talking about Levi and Mikasa.

 **A/N:** I'm going to be very busy for the next week or so. I will try to write if I can but for the meantime, please let me know what you think and if you have any suggestions. I'm going to upload the next chapter pretty quickly so you guys have the next chapter to read while I'm away.

Cheers,

Cup-Noodles


	12. Chapter 12

**-Chapter 12: Repercussions-**

Hanji had seen Mikasa enter the Officer's Barracks late at night and she had overheard Erwin and Levi talking that morning.

Levi walked into the dining hall. It was 0805. He had missed breakfast by a few minutes. Hanji waved him down. She had two plates in front of her. Reluctantly, Levi went and sat across from her. He took the plate, not waiting for Hanji to offer it. He knew that it probably came at a price.

"I know something interesting," said Hanji

"Hmm" said Levi chewing, obviously not interested

"It's about our oriental friend who wears a red scarf." Levi's jaw tightened

"I saw her enter the officer's Barracks late last night. I also heard she left early this morning. What do you think happened last night? Hmmm?" _"The nosy Four Eyes!"_ thought Levi

"I wouldn't continue that line of thought," said Levi, "people might think you're a gossiper."

"Oh? Is that all your concerned about?" said Hanji teasingly

"We wouldn't want to spread needless rumors and destroy a person's reputation." His jaw was still clenched, he should have just sent Mikasa home. Now all these crazy rumors would start up.

"Aren't you even a little curios to know whose quarters she entered?" Hanji already knew who Mikasa had gone to visit but she wanted to hear if from Levi.

"It's none of your business, Four Eyes."

"But it's _your_ business, isn't it Captain? You're the one she came to see, isn't that right?" Levi stood up abruptly, glaring down at Hanji.

"You know nothing happened." He said, his voice low. His words came out as a growl. He left the table, taking the food with him. Hi kicked himself mentally. HANJI! He wanted to scream. She was so vexatious! But he knew that to aggravate her was to give fuel to the consuming fire that is Hanji.

That was just the beginning. Sasha had overheard them when she was sneaking around to get more food. She had told Connie, who told Jean, and Jean (with a loud voice) said, " **MIKASA DID WHAT? SHE'S NOT THAT TYPE OF PERSON! SHE WOULDN'T SLEEP WITH LEVI!"** After that, the whole base knew.

 **Next Chapter: Confrontation**

Eren asks Mikasa if anything is going on in between her and Levi. He also wants answers on why she never told him so many things.

 **A/N:** That's all for now.

Till Next Time,

Cup-Noodles


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13: Confrontation**

After two weeks of tests, more tests, and still more tests **,** Hanji let Eren out of solitary confinement. It was strange, seeing his old comrades again. Some looked at him with fear, some with curiosity, and others with gratefulness. No one really said it, but everyone could feel it; a change had occurred. Two weeks earlier they were cadets but now, they were warriors for humanity's survival and Eren was their greatest chance. He was their weapon. At least that was who he was to everyone else. To Mikasa and Armin, he was still the childhood friend that they both loved.

Mikasa had heard the rumors. She didn't say anything to confirm or deny it. She understood that if she denied anything, it would be like pouring gasoline on fire. No one had the courage to ask her out right whether something had happened or not. Every time someone hinted at the rumor, Mikasa shot him or her a dirty glare and that usually stop the conversation then and there. However, Eren was standing in front of her and he had asked her out right. "Did something happen between you and Levi?" They were standing in the hallway and there was no one else there.

"No," she said

"Mikasa, what were you doing there? You know how easy it is for people to take things in the wrong way."

"I know that. I was an idiot to do it…" she explained everything that happened that night. After a long pause she continued, "There's something else. We started talking a few weeks before graduation. We didn't always talk. We would just sit across from each other and just…. I don't know how to describe it…. We just kept each other company." She looked up at Eren, "I felt content, maybe even happy. I care for him, Eren." She had never admitted this to anyone, not even herself. What she had said was the truth. She cared for him. "Is this love?" she wondered. Mikasa knew what love was. She knew the love of family through her parents and the Yeagers. She had learned this love twice over, through blood and through the compassion of her adoptive family. She knew how a brother loved a sister. She knew how friends loved each other through Armin. Yet she had never felt the love that others referred to as "romantic". Was this that romantic love? It could not be. Romantic love was so often described as something physical brought about by a common need to be wanted. But what she felt was too precious to be boiled down to physical need. She and Levi had, through unspoken agreement, entered each other's trust.

"I also told him about how may parents died." Eren just looked at her. She had never told anyone what had really happened that day. It was true that she talked to the police the day of the murder but she had never spoken to anyone else. She had never discussed how she felt. She would not talk about that day, not even to Eren.

Eren suddenly felt that he had lost something, someone precious. He realized that Mikasa was no longer wholly his. She had been his best friend, along with Armin, of course, but Mikasa was his sister. He had shared all his secrets with her but she had not shared all of her secrets with him. And worse, she had shared them with someone else. A stab of pain rushed through him.

"You never talked about that day, not even to me." Mikasa could hear the accusation in his voice. He was asking her why she never shared that part of her with him.

"I'm sorry, but the things I went through is something that you can never understand." Eren gazed at her in wonder. He knew what it was like to lose family. A titan, before his very eyes, had eaten his mother. His father was missing, probably dead. Like her, he had lost classmates and friends. He knew what it meant to have someone taken from him.

Mikasa continued, "Eren, you may think that you understand but you don't. You have never known what it is to be weak." Eren was about to protest but she continued.

"I'm not talking about skill, strength, or ability. I'm talking about this." She pointed to her heart. "You have never given up in your life. When I was a child, I gave up the moment my father died. Your mother's death made you want to fight harder. Even though your body was weak, your heart was not. When the Colossal Titan appeared a few weeks ago, you were the first to react. When Armin was in danger, you did what you had to, to save him. You have never been in a situation where you have felt completely hopeless. The titans may take everything away from you but you will hold on to your heart, to the very essence of your character. You have never felt the pain of losing who you are. That is why I can tell Levi my story because he knows what it means to lose one's way. You are much stronger than I am. That is why you will not understand my story."

Over the course of a few minutes, Eren knew more about Mikasa than he had discovered over a lifetime spent with her. At that moment, Eren knew that their relationship had grown a little deeper but he also knew that I could only go so much deeper. He would grow and mature, so would Mikasa, but they would no longer grow together. He felt as if they were saying good-bye to each other. A part of their story was ending. It was sad but it was also beautiful. Eren placed his arm around Mikasa and held her. He placed a kiss on his forehead and kept her in a tight embrace.

 **A/N:** What do you think? I had a hard time writing this chapter and I have not had much time to edit it but I hope you like it. It has been a crazy week but I'm back. I have so many fanfic ideas buzzing in my head and can't wait to write them.

Till next time,

Cup-Noodles


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14: A Cruel World**

For the past three weeks, the members of the Survey Corps had been hard at work. The event with the Colossal Titan's reappearance, the development of Eren's titan power, and the move of HQ had taken its toll on everyone. Erwin gave most of HQ the day off. They would be setting out on a mission soon and he thought it best to give everyone a break. Some of the soldiers left HQ for the day but a majority stayed behind and spent the day at HQ.

Sasha, the always hungry farm girl, organized a potluck so that everyone would eat lunch together in the front lawn. With baskets of food before them, they ate to their heart's content. Officers and enlisted soldiers were both there; both were just having a good time and, for a moment, forgetting their differences in rank.

After having their fill of food, they lay down on the soft grass and talked. "If the titans were annihilated, what would you do?" asked Sasha

"Well they're not dead so there's really no point in talking about. We might get one-step closer to defeating them but it's probably not going to happen in our lifetime." Someone replied

"Don't be a spoil sport." Sasha protested

"I would transfer to the military police." said Jean. They laughed, it was Jean, of course he would transfer to the MPs.

"I would go beyond the walls," said Connie, "I would start a farm and the first colony outside the walls."

Sasha looked at him longingly, "I would like that." Someone did a wolf whistle, before long, three other people had whistled. Flustered, Sasha said, "What would you do, Annie?" Annie stared at the sky.

"I would leave the walls and live in the wilderness." She did not say it but everyone knew that she meant, "Live in the wilderness _alone_." However, in her heart of hearts, she wanted a family. She did not want to be alone. But to be alone was all she knew.

"What would you do, Armin?"

"I would explore the world, looking for the ocean. What about you, Eren?"

"I'd go with you, of course." In a way, Armin was, out of the three friends, the one who knew himself the most. He knew who he was and what he wanted in life. Eren's life mission was to kill all the titans, of course. However, what was in store for him after the titans?

"Mikasa?" asked Eren

"I would go with the people I love." was all she said. Eren wondered if that still meant him and Armin. Even if she did not know if for herself, Eren knew that, her love for Levi would only grow. He looked at Levi, sitting only a few feet away from him. Eren had taken Mikasa's constant friendship and companionship for granted. He had always assumed that she would be by his side forever. Never thinking that someone else might whisk her away. "Treasure her, Levi," he thought, "treasure her."

"What would you do, Levi?" asked Eren. Levi looked at Erwin as if a memory had just struck him. Levi had been asked a similar question years ago. However, the last time he was asked, he was living underground, unable to breathe the fresh air.

"I would steal some 3DMG and live a life with the Military Police constantly chasing me." The others looked at him strangely. Only Erwin laughed.

"You know that I would have you behind bars in no time." said Erwin, a smile on his face

"What would you do, Erwin?

"I'm sure there would be enough paperwork and after mission reports to keep me occupied for the rest of my life. I would stay with the Survey Corps. Our mission, instead of investigating the titans would be investigating the world outside the walls.

"What would you do, Hanji?"

"I'm a scientist, through and through. We still have to figure out exactly what the titans are and how they came about. After knowing the answers to those questions, I would write the "Anatomy and History of Titans". After that, I'm sure something else will pop up for me to do."

They sat in silence after that. Each contemplating a world without titans. But the world is a cruel place and a world without titans is nothing more than a faraway dream.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15: Petra**

The members of the survey Corps lined up in front of the slowly opening gates. "Levi," someone called. He turned around to see Petra waving to him. "We're ready to follow your orders," she said. He knew that she trusted him unconditionally and that she would follow him to the ends of the earth if he asked her to. Before he turned back, she said, "Take care of yourself." he nodded in response. The gates were now wide open. They rode out into Titan Territory.

They were not prepared for what followed, blood, death, and titans. Levi's squad followed their orders fatefully. Like Petra, every member of his squad trusted him completely.

 **A/N:** You all know what happens in the anime. I am going to skip that part and write about what happens when they return from the expedition.

The crowds were shouting when they entered the city. They were loud and angry, calling for a justification for the deaths. Out of the cries of hatred and fear came a calm voice, Petra's father. He told Levi about Petra's letter. He told him about Petra's admiration and about the love she felt for him. His words rang in Levi's ear. "I'm sorry," was all Levi said before leaving the procession and darting into one of the alleys. He found his way back to HQ through various alleys and streets. He went into his room and slammed the door behind him. He sank to down to the floor, placing his head on his knees and his hands on his head. He stood up abruptly and lunged forward. In anger, he threw his desk over. He cried out, a loud raspy cry, and then continued to turn furniture over. It was a sparsely furnished room and it didn't take long to turn all the furniture over. He sank back down on the floor. He could hear footsteps in the hallway outside his room. "Captain?" someone knocked on the door. He could not even have some privacy in his own room. He was expected to act as a military officer would: complete the job professionally and continue without hint of sorrow or personal lost. Humanity's Strongest could not show weakness, even in the most difficult of situations.

Levi stormed out of the room, pushing past the person in front of his door. Levi felt unstable, as if his legs could not carry the weight of his body. He stumbled through the hallway. Everything looked like a blur. It felt like the world was spinning too quickly and everyone was moving at the same speed. He was the only one that was too slow, the only one that time had left behind. As a skilled member of the Survey Corps, he had seen too many people leave the walls and never come back. Everyone had left him to join the old enemy named Death. There were only a handful of people who had stayed with him through the years; Erwin and Hanji were among them. However, he knew that they were both broken. He was sure that Hanji had, bright as she was, gone crazy. Erwin had devoted his whole life to the Corps. When his fiancé had forced him to choose between her and the Corps, he had chosen to stay with the Corps. She left him soon after. What that his fate? He wondered. Would everyone leave him behind? Years down the road, would he find himself old and alone? He imagined lying on his deathbed. He would look out the window and see that the walls were still standing. He yearned for a life outside the walls. He realized that he wanted a family. He wanted to die in peace with his family around him.

He continued to stumble through the hall. He eventually found his way outside. The sun was setting and everyone was busy unloading the supplies from the expedition. One cart held the dead bodies of some of the soldiers. There were only a few since they had had to leave the rest behind. He was not even able to take Petra's body home. He wanted to shout, kick, and punch. He wanted to throw a tantrum, to lose complete control and cecum to his rage. However, he was out in the open. Humanity's Strongest does not lose control. He saw Mikasa standing a few feet away from him. Everyone around them continued to travel at a different speed but the two of them were fixed in place. He was not alone.

They had tried to avoid each other when the rumors started but now it was the two of them again and it felt right to be together. Mikasa stepped forward and took his hand, guiding him to the side of the building and up the stairs to the top of the roof. She took off her riding hood covered their heads with it. "Nobody can see you." she said, "It's just you and me. If you want to shout, shout. If you want to punch and kick, you know that I can block anything you throw at me. And if you want to cry I'll be here to hold you."

It was dark but he could still see the beautiful outline of her face. Before him was a warrior and a queen. They sank to the ground and Levi placed his hand on her cheek. Her skin was warm beneath his touch and his heart thumped in his chest. He wanted to lean in and kiss her. Then he remembered Petra. Mikasa deserved better. He felt like a cold blade was plunged into his heart. Mikasa deserved to be loved by someone better than him. She deserved to be with someone who wasn't broken, someone who could give her a better life. He was still Humanity's Strongest and his first priority was the welfare of humanity in general. He could not devote himself to a single person. He knew that he should push her away but He pulled her close to him. Her head rested on his chest and he planted a kiss on her forehead. Mikasa felt a tear run down his face and on to hers. He mourned the death of his squad as well as the life he would never have with Mikasa.

 **A/N:** What do you think? I am sorry for taking so long to update. I start school next week and am hoping to get a few more chapters done before Monday. Please let me know what you guys think so far.

Thanks and happy reading,

Cup-Noodles


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16: Titan Shifters**

 **A/N:** Hello everyone! I am sorry for the late update. School has been crazy. The next wave of midterms is coming up and I thought I would send out a chapter before cram time officially hit. Here is the next chapter. It picks up after the Female Titan and Eren's titan fight. This chapter will also reveal who the Female, Armored, and Colossal Titans are. However, with all the spoilers out there, chances are you already know, but just in case you do not, consider yourself warned. Spoiler alert!

Levi walked in the dark, through the underground levels of HQ. He stopped in front of Annie, the former Female Titan. The great giant was nothing more than a new graduate, an unseasoned soldier. However, Annie had murdered countless numbers, including his squad. With all his experience and skill, he should have been able to stop her. After all, she was nothing more than newbie. He hated her, but even more than that, he hated himself.

Her eyes were closed and her body was encapsulated in crystal. The worst part was that she was wearing the Survey Corps uniform. She was wearing the uniform of the people she had killed. She was wearing the same uniform as him. He gazed at her face. She looked like she was at peace. For that, he hated her even more.

Hanji walked up beside him. "I've tried to crack it open, but it looks like we don't have anything of equal or greater strength to this crystal. There is no way to get to her."

"We'll get to her," said Levi, his voice was low, "one way or another." He walked away, leaving Hanji to contemplate the scientific wonder that was before her.

Hanji and her team (which included Armin) were constantly busy. There were tests to run and theories to prove. Several weeks later, Erwin, Levi, Hanji, and Armin found themselves sitting across from each other. Armin was the only one on his feet.

"Go ahead and tell them," said Hanji

"I think I know who the Colossal and Armored Titans are." Armin told them about his theory and they began to plan the capture of Reiner Braun and Bertolt Hoover. Only a few squads were told about the plan. After the disaster with Annie's capture, they decided that it would be best to take Reiner and Bertolt outside the walls. They formulated a plan and started the preparations for its execution. It was a highly risky plan but it was the only way to prevent a great number of casualties.

 **A/N:** Sorry, it's a short chapter. I'll get the next one posted as soon as I finish it. Thanks for hanging in there. Your support means a lot.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17: Oriental Blood**

Mikasa lay awake in her bed. So many things had happened in the past few weeks. She thought of Annie. She couldn't understand what would poses her to kill so many people. She thought of how everything had started. She contemplated what kind of life she might have lived if her parents had not died. Her life would have been so different. She would still have met Eren and maybe Armin but they might not have become the close friends that they were today. And she would probably have never met Levi. Levi…. She imagined him, sitting across from her. His whole attention focused on the report before him. She remembered the fiasco with the rumors and how she felt about it. That was the first time she realized that she cared about Levi. Then she thought about Petra and how she loved him. Then she remembered how Levi cried. It was when his tears fell on her face that she realized why he had never returned Petra's affections. Levi did not want to feel the pain of losing a loved one. She also realized that if Levi could not bring himself to love Petra, he might never come to love her. Little did she know that he was already in love with her.

A knock on the door pulled her out of her thoughts. She opened the door to find a messenger. He gave her her orders then left. She had been reassigned to a new squad. Her new squad was leaving for town in an hour. She got dressed and reported for duty.

Planning the expedition went as well as it could. Levi could sense the unease among the soldiers too many bad things had happened one after the other. "Levi," called Erwin, "go with the soldiers that are leaving for town. They are going to pick up supplies for the expedition. While you're there, I want you to get something for me."

Levi joined the two squads that were going into town. Mikasa was among the soldiers that went with him. When they arrived, he left the group to go on Erwin's errand. Erwin wanted him to pick up a special serum from an underground chemist. He looked behind him and saw Mikasa, the girl with the red scarf. He would remember her this way for weeks to come. Mikasa, frozen in time, a sad smile on her face. Then the crowds closed in and he couldn't see her anymore. It would be a long time before he would see her again.

Mikasa watched as Levi disappeared into the crowd. Before she lost sight of him, she saw him turn and look at her. She smiled at him and, just like, that he was gone in a sea of strangers.

"Miss." Mikasa turned to see an old woman gestured for her to come closer. Levi was nowhere to be seen. She wondered if he had seen her smile. She sighed and went to the woman who had called her attention.

"Would you like to buy a flower?" said the woman. She looked old and shriveled, "Perhaps a red rose, to match the scarf?" Mikasa took pity on the woman and reached in her pocket for some money. The woman handed her the rose and said, "See how lovely it smells." Mikasa indulged the woman and sniffed the flower. Immediately, her head spun. She felt the coins in her hand slip between her fingers. She was about to fall but rough hands grabbed her by the arm. She tried to slow down her breathing, to calm her heart rate and stop herself from panicking. She could not move. In her head, she went back to her childhood cabin, her first home. She remembered being paralyzed with fear. She remembered how cold the floor felt. In the distance, she heard the old lady's voice, "Good job, boys, we got ourselves the oriental." Then, there was nothing but darkness.

 **A/N:** There's a cliff hanger for you. I'll try not to keep you waiting for too long. I'll try to finish up the next chapter tomorrow. Please comment and review. :)


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18: Dreams, Memories, and Nightmares**

Eight-year-old Mikasa stood in the doorway of her parent's room. This was back in the day when her life was still perfect. She wore the traditional clothing of her mother's family, the garb of her clan. Even though he was only half-oriental, she was still oriental. As a member of dying race, it was her responsibility to carry on its traditions. "I'm ready, Mama." she said, with a shy smile. "How do I look?"

"Like the young Fire Maiden, about to fight the Wood Demon for the love of her life." The pride in her mother's eyes was evident. Her dress was embroidered with dark red and golden thread.

"Now," said Mikasa's mother, turning to her husband, "it's time for you to go."

The "Fire Maiden's Dance" was a ritualistic dance that was passed down from mother to daughter. Each hand movement, gesture, and facial expression was copied perfectly. The dance took years to master and, until the daughter achieved perfection, the dance could not be performed in front of anyone, not even her father. He never did see her perform it.

Mikasa woke up with a start. Everything around her was dark. She took a deep breath and slowly released it. Her hands were tied. She reached them in front of her and felt something hard and rough, wood. She ran her hands along the wood and felt her surroundings. She was in a wooden box. She had about five inches of space on either side of her and the space grew narrower at the feet. If she pointed her feet, she could feel the bottom end of the wooden box. She had about 3 inches of space above her nose. She felt for an opening, but could find none, not even an air hole. Her heart sank. She only had a few hours before she would run out or air.

She moved her body down so that her feet were firmly planted on the bottom board. She raised her hands above her head and pushed. The box didn't budge. She pushed on the sides to no avail. She tried again and again. Deep down she knew that it wouldn't change a thing, but she had to try. She kicked the sides. She kept on struggling but nothing came of it. Then she realized that she wasn't wearing her scarf. She hid her fears and insecurities in that scarf. She felt naked without it. She was in an impossible situation and she could do nothing to change her circumstances. It was her nightmare all over again. She stopped struggling and closed her eyes.

The hours slowly went by. She tried to breath but each breath she took it did not satisfy her need for oxygen. She was going to die in the dark; cold and all alone. She remembered her brother. She imagined him when he was younger, back in the days when he still smiled and he was not full of hatred and a need for revenge. She imagined Armin and the joy he got from reading a new book. She imagined the 104th squad, when Annie was still Annie, not the monstrous Female Titan. She imagined the Survey Corps, all of them happy and contented, laying on the lawn in front of HQ. She imagined Levi sitting across from her, sipping tea and going over reports. She felt a knot inside of her tighten. Then she imagined her parents and the love they shared for each other and for her. She remembered her Oriental heritage. Her mother had told her to take pride in it. In the end, it would be the cause of her parent's death and the reason for her capture.

She could hear muffled voices. They were shouting. "You idiot! You left the merchandise in a sealed container! How long has she been in there?" There was a loud banging sound. Fresh air rushed into the wooden box and Mikasa could breathe again. "She still alive?"

"Yeah, she's breathing." The voices disappeared into the distance. There was a hole, about 3 inches in diameter by her face. She looked out and saw that she was in a dark room. She was still a prisoner but at least she could breathe.

It was evening by the time Levi got back to the other soldiers. He searched the soldier's faces for Mikasa. He couldn't find her. He walked up to one of the squad leaders. "Where's Ackerman?"

"Who? Oh, the new girl? Can you believe her, she gets transferred to my squad this morning then she goes off on her own the first chance she gets. And they say, she's a good soldier." He said with a scoff

"Ackerman, is one of the best." said Levi, his voice deep and threatening. He hadn't realized it but his hand had reached out and grabbed the squad leader by the collar. There had to be an explanation for her disappearance. Then, something caught Levi's eye. It was a red cloth on the ground. Levi let the man go and walked over to the sorry piece of cloth lying on the ground. It was Mikasa's scarf. Levi felt a rage build within him. Whoever was responsible for Mikasa's disappearance was going to pay for it. He would see to it.

 **A/N:** As promised, here is the next chapter. It will probably be a while before I get to work on this again. I'm sorry to leave you all in suspense but school takes priority. Please comment and review. Let me know what you think. If I don't post a new chapter in the next few weeks, just comment and bug me about. I get the email notification when someone comments so I will see your comments.

Thanks and Happy Reading,

Cup-Noodles


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19: Go/No-Go Decision**

It was about 9:00 in the evening. HQ was a buzz. Mikasa's disappearance had been announced and search parties were assembled. Eren, Armin, and Levi were all assembled in Erwin's office.

"I know that to the two of you," said Erwin turning to Armin and Eren, "Mikasa is family, not just a friend. I know that you both want to go out and look for her, however, there are more pressing matters." Eren and Armin both physically stiffened. "We are going to continue with the mission."

"It can be postponed." said Eren, with clenched jaws

"No, it can't. The king has approved our mission, we have limited funds, and a limited time frame. We have already purchased the supplies and have made arrangements for this mission. This is our only chance to complete this mission. If we postpone it, the king will pull his support. One soldier's disappearance cannot affect the events of a whole mission."

"Yes, it can," said Eren, "when that soldier is Mikasa, it can change the events of a mission. She is a force on her own and even more when brother is a titan sifter. I'm going to look for Mikasa. Do not try to stop me." he left the room without being dismissed. Erwin began to stand up from his seat but Levi placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I'll talk to him." said Levi, leaving the room to follow Eren.

"I would like to be relieved from this mission." said Armin

"I thought I made myself clear," said Erwin, "this mission is more important than anyone person."

"I agree," said Armin, "this mission is bigger than me and it can continue on without me. I have, through planning this mission, contributed to the best of my abilities. I am not so physically fit or so talented with 3DMG that my presence is necessary. I have done my responsibility to humankind. And if that's all, I'll be out looking for my friend." With that, Armin left the room.

Levi followed Eren down the hall. Eren got to the end and turned around.

"She was always there for me when I needed her," said Eren, "I can't leave her when she needs me."

"She doesn't need you." said Levi. Eren couldn't believe his ears.

"She doesn't need you or me looking for her. The Survey Corps has the resources to find her. But right now, humanity needs you. She would want you to help those in need." Levi placed Mikasa's scarf into Eren's hands. "She would want you to have that." He turned around and headed back to Erwin's office. He passed Armin in the hall.

"I think Eren will go on with the mission," said Levi, once to Erwin

"And you?" asked Erwin

"I'm with you on this mission.

"You know, I thought you would fight me over this."

"I know Mikasa, and I know she would want the titan shifters captured. She would be willing to give up her life in combat to see this cause fulfilled. I won't stand in the way of this mission. This is where I'm supposed to be."

Fourteen squads left early the next morning. Among them were Eren, Levi, Hanji, and Erwin. Armin stayed behind to investigate Mikasa's disappearance.

 **A/N:** I know that a lot of you were expecting the enraged Levi to go on a rampage. Don't dismay, you do get to see him like that, later on. However, I wanted to highlight the different roles of the characters. Even though Eren and Levi are both smart, they mostly play the role of "muscle". They are important to the Survey Corps' because of their physical abilities. Armin, on the other hand, is important because of his analytical mind. He has planned this mission, however, his direct involvement is not necessary. He can do more to find Mikasa than Eren and Levi can. Do you agree or disagree?

Coming up:

 **Investigation**

Armin has some leads and he will do whatever it takes to find Mikasa.


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N:** Thank you to those who commented. I really do love comments. Thank you to all who have stuck with me through this crazy ride. I appreciate it when people follow me as an author, it really does warm my heart. For those who are new to this story, welcome! I hope you enjoy.

Happy reading,

Cup-Noodles

P.S. I haven't had a lot of time to edit so please forgive me. This chapter is a bit choppy.

 **Chapter 20:** **Investigation**

Armin watched as 14 squads left on their mission. It was still early morning but he had spent the night searching for clues. He sat down, across from his first lead. He opened the man's file.

"I see you've been with the Survey Corps for 7 years."

"What of it?" asked the man, "I have served the Survey Corps and they let a new graduate come in and interrogate me. What is this?"

"I see you really wanted to be in the military police…but, you didn't make the cut. Why join the Survey Corps? Did you think that if you became an officer, you could later transfer?" The man didn't answer. "So, you're in a branch of the military you really don't want to be in, you're not getting any younger, and –"

"What are you trying to say?" the man asked

"Don't you think it's strange that Mikasa gets transferred to your squad and gets kidnaped on the same day? Mikasa wasn't supposed to go into town. Why did you request for her transfer?" The man didn't answer. There was a long pause.

"When Mikasa was nine years old," said Armin, breaking the silence, "her parents were killed. Thankfully, Eren was able to save Mikasa. When Eren's life was in danger, she killed a grown man to save him. She was only a child. You see, I wasn't there the in her darkest hour. But I'm here now and I am willing to do whatever it takes to save her life." Armin looked over to the soldier who was guarding the door, "Tie him up and take him to the wall."

Armin stood on the wall above Trost. His prisoner stood across from him. "I've been reading your file and I noticed that you tried really hard not to be sent outside. You wanted to become an officer but with minimal experience, how could you become one? You became an officer by accident, didn't you?...Your commanding officer became titan chow and you took this opportunity for a promotion. You may be an officer but you're still a coward. You wanted to become MP because you would be safe inside the wall…" Armin turned away from the man both his face and voice were emotionless. "Tell me where Mikasa is or you'll end up like your former commanding officer." The man kept his mouth close. Armin turned and lunged forward, pushing the man over the side. The man's feet were tied and he hung upside down on the side of the wall. It didn't take long before the man gave up all the information he knew.

He had been paid to request Mikasa's transfer into his squad. He didn't know that she was going to be kidnapped and he didn't know where they money came from. His information was ultimately unhelpful.

As Armin was walking back to HQ, he felt sick. He had participated in torture. He leaned up against a wall and closed his eyes. He had no time to rest. He needed to find Mikasa. When he got back to HQ, there was a man waiting to see him. He was a tall dark man with a shaved head.

"My name is Brutus. Levi sent me."

-The night before-

Levi left Erwin's office and headed out. He went to the bar just on the outskirts of town. It was the place where he had truly met Mikasa for the first time. And while he yearned for her, he had another reason to go there. He went up to the bartender and slipped him a note, along with some money. He sat down in the corner and waited. A few minutes later, a tall man came out and sat across from him.

"Levi."

"Brutus."

"You took an awfully long time. I assume you're here to cash in on that favor I owe you."

"Yes, I am. I need some information."

"After this, we're even?"

"Yes."


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21: Time Runs Out**

 **A/N:** Thank you so much for waiting! I know it has been really long since I last updated. While it is very true that I have been busy with school, the main reason I haven't been able to update is because I had no idea how to write the following. I tried writing this chapter several times but it never felt right. It wasn't until last night that I figured out how to write the continuation of Behind the Mask. So, without further ado, here is the 21st Chapter of Behind the Mask

Armin lunged forward but was harshly yanked back by Brutus. "Armin!" he hissed into the blond boy's ear, "this is suicide! We agreed that we would wait until tomorrow to storm the mansion." Armin turned around to face the much bigger man. He took a deep breath. The fire that was in his eyes only a few moments ago was gone. "You're right," His voice came out no louder than a whisper, "it is suicide. But we made those plans before we knew what they would do to Mikasa. Mikasa is here, right now. The information we have indicates that tonight they will—" Armin paused, the anger clearly present in his voice. "And in the morning, they will transfer her to a different location. If I can do anything to stop those monsters from hurting her, I will do it, even if it means trading my life for her freedom." Armin took the bigger man's hand and shook it. "Thank you for all your help. I know this isn't what you signed up for. You and you're men don't have to come but I have to go. I know I won't be able to get her out, but I think I can keep them busy long enough for reinforcements to arrive." Brutus looked down at the boy but all he saw was man. Brutus was right in thinking that the fire was gone out of Armin. All that remained was cold determination and the willingness to do anything so that he might save Mikasa. "So long," said Armin and engaged his 3DMG. Again, he was violently yanked back by Brutus. The big man smiled and said, "I said it was suicide, I didn't say I wouldn't come. I can't speak for the others, but I'll go with you. Levi will kill me, if I don't" he said with a smile.

"We're coming too," said the others, "we don't leave our friends behind."

"Let's go." said Armin, they engaged their 3DMG and shot off

"Open the gate!" called out a guard. The gate lifted and Levi and Eren came in on horseback, Wall Sina, behind them. The sun had already set and the rain was pouring hard. A member of the military police came out to meet them. "We've assembled the men you asked for. We'll engage when the rest of Survey Corp gets here."

"We can't wait for them," said Levi, "they're coming off a mission. It will take them too long to get here. We attack in the morning!"

"You may be willing to risk your lives but I'm not willing to risk my life and the life of my men for some girl. We wait for the rest of the Survey Corp. I won't go in there without being heavily prepared." replied the MP

"That girl.." said Eren, "has risked her life countless of times for your life and the life of your men and every citizen here. That _girl_ is a soldier; you are nothing more than a coward."

"I got a messenger pigeon for a Levi Ackerman!" called out another MP

"That's me," said Levi. He and Eren entered a poorly lit building. The man who had called them handed Levi a small piece of paper. It read, "Mikasa in danger/Striking now/Send help fast" Levi crumpled the paper and headed back out into the rain. "I need fresh horses and extra tanks of gas." He said, his voice commanding, "You and your men can wait, but we need to move. We don't make a habit of doing nothing when our fellow soldiers are in need." Fresh horses were brought out and the two soldiers left with haste.

"Armin, what's the plan?"

"Brutus, you're with me. Herb and Sam," continued Armin, calling two of Brutus's men, "head to the kitchen, open all the gas tanks and set the place on fire. Kiro and Zack, sneak into the armory, tamper with their weapons but do not take them. We need them to think they're prepared when all they have are useless toys." Armin continued to give instructions and Brutus's men followed and left as soon as their order was given.

"And us?" asked Brutus, when he and Arimin were the only two left, "Where do we strike?"

The horses were struggling. Levi and Eren had been driving them hard for a few hours. The heavy rain only added to their trouble and made it even more difficult for the horses to continue. Levi tapped his gas tank, he was half-empty. He still had the tank from the MPs but that would also be empty by the time they got to their target. Eren saw Levi fiddle with his equipment.

"What will it be?" asked Eren

"The horses won't be able to maintain this pace for much longer," said Levi, "if we use our gear, we'll be out of gas by the time we arrive." He looked back at Eren

"I trust you." said Eren, the stubborn boy, submitting himself to authority.

"Let's go." said Levi, both soldiers shot off into the distance, leaving their horses behind.

 **A/N:** I'm already working on the next chapter. I'm going to try to finish chapter 22 and 23 before the end of the week.

Coming up:

 **Chapter 22: The Fire Maiden Emerges**

 **Chapter 23: Thicker than Water**


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22: The Fire Maiden Emerges**

"And now," called the announcer, "a rare beauty, a diamond in the rough, here is the ravishing Fire Maiden." Mikasa stepped out onto the small stage. Her costume covered her from head to toe. The music started and Mikasa thrust her hands forward, she crossed her arms and moved toward the front of the stage. She continued to dance, her mind unable to focus on anything except for the music and the movements that went with it.

The music stopped and she bowed. "There you have it, gentlemen," said the announcer, "this dance was thought to have been lost. It was only when we this oriental beauty was found that this dance was rediscovered. This young lady is a piece of history. She is one of the last members of her dying race. Tonight, there are two contracts to be sold. She is a virgin. The first contract is for this maiden's first night. Who will be the man to turn her into a woman?" asked the announcer. Mikasa stayed on the stage floor, sitting obediently. Her head was spinning. Try as she might, she was unable to move, to think, her mind was so clouded.

"The bidding will start at two hundred thousand units." the bidding continued until finally, one man called, "Nine hundred thousand units!"

"Nine hundred thousand units, going once, going twice, sold!"

"That's it for the first contract. Now for the second contract, a one year lease. Once the year is over, she is to be returned in the condition she was taken. If she is physically harmed in any way, the deposit will not be returned. Bidding starts at 2.5 million units." A man raised his hand, then another, and another. The bidding price was driven up. The whole room was shouting, men, young and old, trying to get a bid. It had been a long time since an oriental was offered on the market. The bidding went one for several minutes it was now in the 18 million there were only two bidders left. Finally, a voice that was louder than the two cried out, "Five hundred million for a lifetime contract."

"Fi-five hundred m-million?" the announcer stuttered

"Five hundred million," the man replied, "for a lifetime contract. I want this girl to be mine."

"Very well," said the announcer, pulling up a third contract, "you have her, after tonight; the first contract still stands." There was a sudden explosion. A man in a suit burst.

"We're being attacked! Move everyone into the safe room."

Someone grabbed Mikasa by the arm, pulling her up. They traveled down the hall and entered a luxurious room. Metal doors swung shut behind them. The announcer tried to calm everyone down. There were murmurings and a few shouts.

"We are safe here." The announcer repeated over and over again, "No one can get through those doors. We have plenty of security. They will take care of the intruders and let us out. In the meantime, we have refreshments."

"I want what I bought," said a young man, "I get one night with her, right? One night to turn her into a woman." He advanced toward her, he was only a few steps away when a man with broad shoulders stood in between them.

"You haven't paid," said the man, "she is my merchandise until payment is complete."

"Fine." The young man pushed a briefcase of money into his hand, "She's mine for the whole night. No one interrupts us." He moved past the big man and pushed Mikasa onto a sofa. The man pulled the curtains behind him. Mikasa just lay there, unresponsive.

"What's wrong, honey? Are you scared?" he stood over her and pulled on the strings that held her dress close. "Why don't you dance for me, honey?" he placed his hands on her, feeling her chest. Mikasa closed her eyes. She couldn't think, she couldn't move, but she knew she didn't like what was being done to her. A tear rolled down her cheek. She felt cold and empty. "You don't like that?" the man asked, "I paid good money for you and I intend to enjoy it!" he went on top of her, pushing her into the cushions.

 _Money._

Mikasa remembered something. Something from a long time ago…something bad. It was hard to concentrate but the thought was embedded in her mind too deeply.

 _Money._

Yes, that was the reason her parents died. That was the reason she was here.

No.

That wasn't the reason. Her mind traveled to another time, "We must treasure our history," her mother had said, "we must always remember where we came from."

That was the reason.

Her oriental blood.

Her life was being controlled by a force that she could not change, a fact of life that she did not choose.

"Come on Fire Maiden!" the man was saying, "Open your eyes!"

 _Fire Maiden_

That was what her mother had called her. She had asked how she looked and her mother had said, "Like the young Fire Maiden". To be exact, her mother had described as a "young Fire Maiden about to fight the Wood Demon for the love of her life."

 _Fight. Love. Life._

 _Fight. Fight. Fight._

That's what Eren had said, "Fight. If you lose, you die. If you win, you live. If you don't fight, you can't win."

 _Fight._

 _Oriental Blood._

 _Fire Maiden._

 _Fight._

 _Win_

 _Life._

 _Death._

 _Fight._

 _Love._

 _Fight._

"Come on Fire Maiden!"

"Open your eyes!"

 _Fight._

"Open your eyes!"

 _If you don't fight, you can't win._

"Open your eyes!"

Her eyes flew open. She thrust her hands forward, the first move of the Fire Maiden's Dance. She crossed her arms and placed a hand on either one of her shoulders. By pulling one arm down and keeping the other in place, she cut off his airflow. Her mind was still clouded and it was difficult to hold on but if she focused on the moves of the dance, she could do what she had to do, she could fight.


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23: Thicker than Water**

In the distance, an explosion could be heard. "Now!" cried Armin. He and Brutus burst through the doors. Twenty men were waiting in the hall. Armin raised his blade and brought it down on the first person. He tore through flesh. The man screamed in agony, clutching the arm that was no longer attached to his torso. Cutting through the flesh of a man was different from cutting a titan. A titan is a creature, a man is a person. Persons have lives, feelings, and other people that care about them. Armin had cut down many titans, but now, he was killing his own kind. In hindsight, it was a lot easier to think, "for humanity, I am killing for humanity" that it is to say, "I am killing for myself". It's true that he was killing to protect, however, he was killing to protect someone _he_ loved. What about the men before him? Where they protecting someone to? The blade came down again. At the end of the day, who they were didn't matter. They had made choices that had lead them to that point in time. Armin had made his. Again, his blade came down.

* * *

There was another explosion. Brutus's men were doing their job. Armin made it down the hall. Brutus wasn't far behind him. They turned down another hallway, again met with opposition. There were too many of them. Every time one came down, another was behind him. But even though the enemy had greater numbers, they were unable to use it as an advantage. They were fighting in a narrow hallway, there was nowhere to go. They could not surround the intruders. In this setting, Armin had a great advantage. The two explosions had drawn a majority of the security to that section of the building, allowing him and Brutus to search for Mikasa. But even with this diversion, there were still too many guards.

Armin turned the corner, the auction room was just ahead of him. He pushed through the doors but there was nobody there. The chairs were turned over, there were some jackets and broken wine glasses on the ground. Whoever was in that room had left quickly. Armin gripped his blade tighter. Mikasa had been in that room. He needed to find her.

"Brutus, has anyone left the compound?" Brutus let out a high whistle. There was a chorus of whistles that followed. For a moment, there was a pause then an answer returned in the form of more whistles returned to them.

"No," said Brutus, "they were able to block all the roads and shut all the gates. There were a few people who got out through the windows but none of them had a girl with them." They headed back into the hall. A new group of the security guards had formed in the hall. Armin and Brutus went back into the auction room and bar the door behind them.

 **A/N:** I couldn't think of a way for them to communicate since they don't really have technology like handheld radios. I thought that they could use the smoke guns or semaphore or something like that. In the end, I settled for them whistling in something like morse code.

"There's too many of them," said Brutus. Armin rested his head against the door. They had been in the compound for hours and had been fighting for almost as long. They were too worn out. It wasn't just the fighting, it was also the planning, the late nights, and the search. They had been searching for weeks.

"I know." said Armin, "I'm sorry for pulling you into this."

"It was my choice," said Brutus, "whatever happens next, you remember that." Armin closed his eyes and tried to think. Their information had been reliable. The state of the auction room suggested that the buyers had been there and had been quickly evacuated. There were three doors to the auction room. It was unlikely that the buyers had left through the door that Armin had just passed through. There was nowhere for them to go and no room to hide all those people. That left two doors. The door to the left lead to a hallway then a staircase to the first floor. To take the buyers there made sense if they were to be evacuated. But Brutus had said that no one had left the compound. They weren't being evacuated. Armin looked at the scene before him. He noticed that the turned over chairs were pointing towards the right. The people who were sitting there, in their haste to get out had turned over the chair in the direction they were heading.

"They went this way," said Armin, heading to the door on the right. There were guards waiting in that hallway as well. They barred the door. They were stuck inside the auction room. Brutus's men had their own tasks to complete, they wouldn't be able to come to their rescue. Armin tapped his gas tank, he was almost out.

"We did what we said we would," said Brutus, "They haven't been able to evacuate, my men have disabled the carts and set the horses free, all the traps that we've set for them are working. We've bought Mikasa enough time for the Survey Corps to get here."

"They're going to break through those doors any minute," replied Armin

"Then let's give them all we've got." The two men stood up, they had been fighting for so long. Whatever energy they had left, had already been expended. The doors burst open. The swarm of guards came at them from three different directions.

"For Mikasa," said Armin under his breath, then he charged forward into certain death.

* * *

Armin and Brutus were able to take down a few more guards before they were inevitably disarmed. The guards held them down and began to beat them mercilessly. Armin didn't cry out in pain, he merely closed his eyes and in his mind, he went back to his childhood. He went back to the time when the walls were still secure. He went back to the time when the people he loved were still alive and by his side. He went back to the time when he was still a boy and all was well with the world. Someone kicked him in the face. Armin remembered the time when he was surrounded by bullies, they were beating him then too. He remembered clutching a book in his arms. Then Eren and Mikasa were there. They came to save him and the bullies ran away.

Just then, there was a crash. Armin opened his eyes. There were two figures cloaked in green. By this time, Armin's eyes were swollen but he could still clearly distinguish the Wings of Freedom of their back. Then, his vision went dark.

When Armin awoke He was still on the floor but no one was beating him. There were only a few guards left and they were all preoccupied with the two cloaked figures.

"Brutus." said Armin calling out to his friend, "Brutus, are you alive?" The older man was barely moving. "They're here," said Armin, "they came."

"I knew they would," said Brutus, "Levi isn't one to break his word-" Brutus coughed and spat out some blood, "Thank you, Armin," he said

"For what? I should be thanking you."

"You let me die with my honor…I've done things in the past that I'm not proud of. I've done very many horrible things. You allowed me to redeem myself."

"You're not going to die. I'm going to take care of you."

"It's my time, let me die." A tear rolled down Armin's cheek

"Don't go." He said

"All is well," said the man, "I am at peace." he closed his eyes, never to open them again.

Armin shook him by the shoulders, "Wake up," a hand rested on Armin's shoulder, it was Levi.

"He's dead Armin. We have to go, the guards will be returning soon. Mikasa is still out there." Armin nodded but didn't say anything else. He placed a sword in Brutus's hand and Levi covered him with his clocked, the Wings of Freedom covered in blood. Unlike the titan blood that disappeared in smoke, the blood that stained the Wings of Freedom remained as a horrible reminder of the price that must be paid for freedom.

"Where are the others?" asked Armin

"They're still on their way," said Eren, "it's just me and Levi." A new wave of guards had appeared.

"Go, find Mikasa, I'll take care of this," said Levi. Eren and Armin made their way down the hall. Out of the corner of his eye, Armin saw the lone soldier against the army of men that were pouring into the auction room.

* * *

Mikasa did not move. In the distance, she could hear voices calling out something… a name?

"Mikasa?! Mikasa!" she saw two people coming near her. She looked around her and noticed that she was lying in a pool of blood. There were other people in the room but they were all dead. She didn't understand what was going on. The two people were now in front of her. She noticed that one of them had blond hair and that the other had brown hair.

"Mikasa," they repeated. She didn't understand. She slowly sat up.

"Who is Mikasa?" she asked. The two looked at each other in horror. The blond boy knelt down and touched her hand. She didn't recoil. He took the two knives that were clutched in her hands away.

"You are Mikasa." He said. There was something very wrong going on and she felt confused. She looked down and saw that she was only half dressed. Her chest wraps were showing.

"You are Mikasa." Repeated the boy

"M-mi-ikasa?" she said, trying to say the name, "I am Mikasa…" tears started to roll down her cheeks, "I am Mikasa." She said again. She raised her hand and touched the boy's face.

"I know you," she said with a sad smile as if trying to remember, "I've seen your face before,"

"It's me," he said, "it's Armin." he held her hand tight

"Armin?" she asked, "You're my friend," she closed her eyes. The other boy kneeled down beside her. She took a moment to study his face, finally, she said, "You are my brother, you saved me. You told me to fight." Eren placed the red scarf around her neck once more. "You're safe now. Let's go home." She closed her eyes, and for the first time in weeks, she felt safe.

* * *

Levi went into the safe room and shut the door behind him. "There are too many. We have to hold out here as long as we can."

"It won't take them too long to get in. I was able to override the locks, it's only a matter of time before they figure out how to do it" said Armin, "I'm out of gas."

"So am I," said Eren

"Me too," said Levi, he looked at Mikasa, she was covered in blood. He could see that the fight had gone out of her. Whatever she had left, those monsters had taken it away.

"I won't let them touch Mikasa ever again," said Levi

"Neither will I," said Armin.

They had moved Mikasa to the back of the room and strategically placed the furniture to their advantage. Levi checked all the bodies to see if they were all dead. Most of them were. There were a few who has sustained fatal injuries but were still clinging on to life. Levi did not feel inclined to treat them. Finally, he came to one man who was gasping for breath, when he saw Levi, he laughed and coughed up blood. "Her fate is sealed," said the man, "she is an oriental. I was the one who took her. Even if I die, others will come for her. Blood is thicker than water. She can never escape the fate of her race." Armin was nearby and heard the man.

"That's true," said Armin, "but you got the quote wrong. The original quote is, 'The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb.' The blood that we shed in battle is thicker than the water that ties her to the fate of her family. Know that when others come to take her, we will be there to defend her. Our bond is thicker than water."

* * *

A few hours later, the metal doors gave way. Eren, Armin, and Levi were waiting. The guards were pushed back out into the hallway. Eren and Levi followed them into the hall. Armin shut the doors behind them. They had all agreed that he was too weak to fight. The injuries that he had sustained made it difficult to move. When the doors were closed, Eren bit into his hand. Armin stayed close to Mikasa. He was the last line of defense. Hours passed and fighting could still be heard outside. Around noon, a banging could be heard on the metal doors. Armin got ready to fight. When the doors gave way, Armin sank to the ground. It was the Survey Corps. They had arrived.

 **A/N:** It will be a while before I update again. For the next few weeks, I won't have access to internet or a computer. I tried to write as much as I could but was only able to finish this chapter. The following chapters will deal with what happened to Mikasa while in captivity, how Armin found her, and what happened beyond the walls with the mission to capture the titan shifters.

Why did she not fight back until she was in the safe room?

Why had she been so submissive?

How long was she in captivity?

Why did she not remember who she was for a moment?

Why was she so confused?

Was she tortured?

What about the mission to capture the titan shifters?

How come only Levi and Eren were able to come at first?

I will answer these questions and much more in the chapters to come. Please let me comment and let me know what you think happened. Sorry to leave you hanging but that's all for now.

Happy reading,

CupNoodles

P.S. Please, please comment. It only takes a few moments to comment. I spend a lot of time writing and would really like to hear from my readers.

P.P.S. I mentioned that the Survey Corps arrived at noon. The fighting had started the night before, just after twilight and had continued through the night. It wasn't until the next morning that the Survey Corps arrived.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24: The Aftermath of War**

Levi opened his eyes. Sunlight streamed through the window. He could hear birds singing, as if nothing was wrong with the world. He was amazed by nature's ability to move on regardless of the circumstances of man. He tried to move but every muscle in his body protested. Both arms were covered in bandages as well as his right leg. He could feel a sharp pain along his back and remembered that someone had been able to get through his defense, leaving a diagonal slash across his back.

It took him a while to get dressed. Each muscle was sore and he had a limited range of motion due his injuries. He practiced walking back and forth from one end of his room to the other. After ten laps across his room, he felt exhausted. Each movement took so much energy. He was tempted to lay back down on his bed but five days had passed since Mikasa's rescue. In all that time, he had not been able to leave his room. He hobbled to the door and stepped out into the busy hallway. People were running here and there, trying to complete the many tasks and responsibilities that rose up from recent events. He slowly made his way down to Hanji's office, often leaning against the wall to rest. By the time he had climbed up to the third floor, there was sweat on his brow. He cursed Hanji in his head for choosing an office that was so far from his room.

The compound of the noble man that had taken Mikasa became a temporary HQ for the Survey Corps. The man had collected a wide variety of rare merchandise over the years, a lot of which was from the old world. Hanji made a point of cataloging all the items, searching for some sort of clue that might lead to information concerning the origin of titans. The massive bedrooms in the mansion were converted into offices and Hanji chose a room on the third floor because most of the libraries were located on the third floor.

Hanji was in the middle of examining a thick book with golden edged pages when someone started pounding on her door. She gave an annoyed sigh then carefully closed the book. She flung the door open and Levi almost fell it. He looked like he was about to faint.

"Levi?!" she said, surprised at his appearance. He was not supposed to be out of bed. She grabbed him by the arm, ushered him into a chair. "What are you doing here? You shouldn't be up and about."

"I wouldn't be here if you would just give me information. You can't keep me locked up in a room all day and expect me to stay put."

"Levi, you're in no condition to do anything but rest. You look like you're going to faint just from climbing the stairs." She actually sounded concerned

"Then tell me what happened. I've made it to your office, might as well tell me."

"No, that would be rewarding bad behavior."

"Tell me and I'll rest." Hanji stayed quiet for a while, contemplating his condition.

"Fine, I'll tell you, but you have to go back to sleep."

"Fine." Agreed Levi

"The mansion was in chaos when we arrived," began Hanji, "Brutus's men had round up the household and locked them up in the western building. All the access roads were closed off and there were fires everywhere. We could here Eren's titan form so we headed in your direction. There were bodies everywhere. Then I saw you on the floor….among the dead. When we saw you, everyone charged into the guards around Eren. It didn't take that long to subdue the remaining guards. Eren transformed back into his human form but he didn't move. Both of you were barely alive. We searched further into the mansion and found Armin and Mikasa. We treated her wounds but she didn't react. It didn't look like she recognized anyone of us. Armin was the only one she reacted to. She would smile and say his name, but she didn't say anything else…." Hanji took a long pause, contemplating Mikasa's condition. "She's a shell, Levi. They took everything she was and tortured it out of her. She made her into a little obedient doll."

"But she recognizes Eren and Armin. She must have some memories from her childhood intact. That means she can still come back."

"It doesn't look like she remembers anything more than that….. The brain can withstand a lot of abuse. If anyone can come back from that experience, it would be Mikasa but her chances are very slim." Hanji stood and opened the door, "I told you want happened, now it's time for you to go."

"I have other questions."

"It can wait till tomorrow. You need to rest and I have work to do."

"Fine," said Levi, but instead of getting up, he closed his eyes and leaned back into the chair.

"What are you doing?" asked Hanji

"Resting, like you told me."

"I meant, in your own room."

"That wasn't part of the deal. This way, I don't have to exhaust my energy going up and down the blasted stairs."

Hanji sighed but didn't push the matter further. She returned to her desk and began reading the book again.

A few hours later, someone knocked on Hanji's door and she got up to see who it was. It was one of the medical assistants, "She's having another seizure." Said the young man. Hanji left the room without a word to Levi.

Levi got up and followed Hanji two rooms down the hall. Mikasa was on a bed, her arms and legs bound by her ankle and wrists. She was thrashing about, were eyes rolled back into her head. Hanji took a syringe and injected a cloudy liquid into Mikasa's arm. A minute passed without any change and then she stopped thrashing. Her breathing became regular and it looked like she was asleep. Hanji sighed and got up.

"What's going on?" said Levi

"That's what's left of Mikasa."

Hanji sat across from Levi, drinking tea. "You have to understand, she's an oriental, what some would consider a rare commodity. She is too precious to physically torture. So, they drugged her, drowned her, bound her, and whipped other people when she messed up. They did whatever they could do to make her submit without leaving a mark on her skin. The drug they gave her suppresses the frontal lobe. It's the place in the brain where critical thinking takes place. They took away her ability to make choices. While she was on the drug, she had no free will. The drug is highly addictive. Without it, she goes into seizures."

"That's the drug you gave her…"

"Yes, without it, she will die. We are trying to slowly ween her off of the drug but we know very little about it. If we try to move too quickly, she could die."

"So even now, she can't make choices."

"That's correct."

"We saved her, only to keep her a slave."

 **A/N:** So sorry for the late update! I can't believe it's been more than half a year since the last chapter. Thank you to everyone who has stuck with me. And welcome to our new readers. I have another thing to apologize for, I said I would answer all those questions from the previous chapter but I've only answered a few. Those questions will still be answered in the fallowing chapters but it felt more natural to break them into different chapters.

On a non-story-related topic, I would like to give you, dear readers, some advice. My grandfather passed away recently and I learned two things. I'm not really one to share personal information online but I think these two topics are important and if it makes a difference in someone's life, it should be said.

The first is, say what you need to say and don't live with regrets. You never know when you will see the people around you again. In our crazy world, anything can happen. Think about the people in your life. If one of them died today, have you told them everything you needed to say? Would you have any regrets? If there's someone you need to forgive, please do so. Not so much for the person you are forgiving but to free yourself from the hurt and burden of their actions. Forgiveness does not mean that the offender is not to be held accountable, but that you can move on, passed the offense. It also doesn't mean that the offender has your trust once more or that they are invited into the same level of intimacy before their offence. Forgiveness means letting go of anger and hatred and freeing yourself from the pain that other's inflict. Sometimes you also have to forgive yourself. If this is something you would like to know more about, I recommend the book, Forgive and Forget by Lewis B. Smedes. Forgiveness isn't easy but it is worth it. Also, if you need to ask someone for forgiveness, think about. Life is way too short to live with hatred or guilt.

The second thing I learned is take care of your health. Because this fic is an anime, I'm guessing the majority of my readers are members of the younger crowed. I've heard a lot of younger people say they don't need to take care of their health or even worry about it because they're young. Life is supposed to be fun. YOLO and all that. If you die, you die. I'd like you to consider not only whether or not you die but also how you die. I know, that sounds really depressing but a lot of people take on bad health habits and when they learn it's bad, they think, "Oh well, if it's going to kill me then that's it." And they don't really make any changes. But consider stroke. A stroke happens when a blood clot forms in the brain. It cuts off blood flow to certain parts of the brain and often causes paralysis. My grandfather had a stroke many years before he passed away. He used to sing but I don't even remember his singing voice. His stroke left half of his body paralyzed and he could not write, speak, or even take care of himself. He couldn't shower, get dressed, or even go to the bathroom without help. And the sad thing is, the stroke could have been prevented. Mt grandfather's cholesterol was too high. This resulted in a blood clot in his brain. That's why I asked you to consider how you die. Poor health habits can lead to sickness and a reduced quality of life. Smoking causes premature aging and osteoporosis (or fragile bones). One is aesthetic and the other is deadly. A majority of people die within two years of a fractured hip. Diabetes is another disease that so many people suffer from and it's actually preventable. However, not a lot of people know that. I'm studying a program called Diabetes Undone and it's a program to help people reverse diabetes.

I know, this A/N is pretty long and doesn't have anything to do with the development of the story but this is important and I think, relevant. I'm not trying to scare you into a healthy lifestyle but would like for you to consider the facts and perhaps shift your paradigm. You only live once, so make the most of it. Live a fulfilling life. If you're interested in more health information, check out NEWSTART lifestyle club online. If you have any questions about the things I said, feel free to PM me. I wish you all the best in life.

Till next time.

Happy reading,

Cup-Noodles


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N:** Thank you for all your comments about the story in general as well as those who reached out about my last A/N. My family and are doing alright. Here's the next chapter in our story. I'll try to post a new chapter every Friday but once school starts, all bets are off.

 **Chapter 25: While She Slept**

"Mikasa! Listen to me. You have to hang on." She could hear a female voice calling her, "Mikasa, come back to us." It was so far away that she could barely make out the words. Mikasa withdrew into herself, moving deeper into her mind. She didn't want to wake up. She was fine where she was. She had gone through so much pain and to leave the confines of her mind meant enduring more pain.

In her imaginary world, Mikasa was living on the edge of a meadow. On the south end of the meadow was a forest with great trees and large branches. Its many leaves blocked out the sun, never allowing sunlight to reach the ground. She didn't like the forest. So she always took care to stay on her side of the meadow.

Everything she needed could be found by her home. She had a stone well a few paces from her home. In her backyard was a thriving vegetable garden. She would draw the water she needed for the day at dawn. Most of her mornings were spent tending her garden. During most afternoons, she would go out into the meadow and sleep. Her life, as mandarin as it was, was peaceful. But every once in a while, she would hear a voice on the wind calling her out of the meadow but she didn't want to go. She remembered parts of her life before the meadow and she knew that she did not want that life.

Every once in a while, images from her past would come crashing down on her. She remembered being in the great dark forest, vines wrapped around her body, pinning her to the ground. They suffocated her. Always it was hard to breath. It was hard to think. She only knew one thing for sure, she was a prisoner. Her master would call to her and the vines would make her dance. When she made a mistake, the vines would tighten, plunging splinters into her skin. The vines would coil around her, pushing the air out of her lungs. It would hold her like this until her vision grew dark. Even while, dancing she was never allowed much motion. She hated the man who kept her in captivity, playing with her like a toy. She hated that man. A deep hatred burned within her. As the days of her captivity passed, the hot fire within her turned to ice. She turned her heart into stone. She had too much pain within her and to allow herself to feel was to allow others to injure and abuse her further. One day, she broke free from the vines and she killed the people who had enslaved her. But even after killing her captors, the vines still trailed behind her, once again restricting her motion. People came into the woods and tried to hacked down the vines. But the vines had made their mark and she knew that she could never be whole again. The vines persisted. Always following her, trying to hold her down once more. She ran from the forest and into the meadow. There she stayed, living a solitary life of peace and quiet.

A peaceful lull settled over the Survey Corps. Expeditions were put on hold and interrogations with the captured titan shifter were uneventful. With the discovery of a trafficking ring within the innermost wall, most of the Survey Corps assisted the Military Police with tracking down and arresting any remaining members the trafficking ring. Erwin spent most of his time in the interrogation room. Hanji, along with Armin, cataloged the "old world" items found in the mansion. They found numerous books written before walls came about. They also found strange technology that needed some sort of electrical power source to function. Hanji had Eren run different tests on his abilities. Over the weeks, he gained more and more control over his titan form. Eren, Armin, Levi, and occasionally Hanji, took turns by Mikasa's bedside. Levi spent the most time with her since he wasn't assigned to a particular task. Levi sometimes told her stories. Sometimes he told her what the other members of the Survey Corps were doing. Sometimes he sat beside her, silently contemplating their past.

Levi picked up the book that Armin chose for Mikasa. They took turns reading it to her. It was about a little village. In that village was a young maiden who sold yarn for a living. One day, she found a man, injured by the side of the road. She brought him into her home and nursed him back to health. When he awoke, he thanked her for her kindness. He told her that he was a warrior. His master had died in battle and he was left to wonder the country, disgraced and without a home. The winter months were coming and the weather changed with the season. Unable to travel in the harsh weather, the young woman allowed the solider to stay in her home. As time passed, they fell in love. However, the Maiden did not know the Warrior loved her and the Warrior did not know that the Maiden loved him. She believed that he was suited for a life of adventure, one she could not give if he stayed with her. He believed her too precious to end up with a disgraced knight. She was kind and beautiful. A more suitable match might still be found for her, he thought to himself. And even if she would have him, he still had to avenge his master before he settled down.

Levi opened the book and read aloud "The days passed and her love for him grew. She knew that he would be leaving soon and her heart ached at the thought of losing him. The winter storms had passed and he said that he would leave her in three days time. She knitted him a red scarf and presented it to him on the day of his departure. She pressed it into his hands and said, "I can never give you the life of adventure you once had. But I can give you my heart. Together, we might make an extraordinary life for ourselves. Take this scarf, as a symbol for those you have lost. Once your journey is over, and you have laid your dead to rest, bury this scarf with them. I will look to the Great Bridge at dawn on the first day of summer. I will look for you every day, even until the leaves fall from the trees. If I see that you still wear the scarf, then I will know that you are not ready for the life that I can give. She placed a white strip of cloth in his hand and said, "If the scarf is gone, and this is on your person, then I will know that you are coming home to me."

"I am not the man for you," said the Warrior, "I cannot bring you happiness."

"You have already brought me joy. I know that this life is hard and that it will not always be filled with happiness but there is no one else I would rather spend my life with. Think on this. I will wait for you until the first snow falls. If you have not returned by that time, then I too shall move on."" Levi closed the book and replaced the bookmark.

"The two of them are much like us, I suppose," said Levi, "In our case, you are the traveling warrior."

As the days passed, Mikasa felt the influence on the vines receding deeper into the forest. Day by day, it became easier for her to breath and think. Down the hill form her meadow, she noticed a little village. She did not remember that village being there before but it somehow felt familiar. She could not explain it but she knew a young woman lived in that village and that she waited for her Warrior to return. Mikasa, looked to the village and somehow knew the stories of the people that lived there. Deep in her mind she knew that someone waited for her, just as the Maiden waited for her Warrior.


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N:** This is a super short chapter but I will make up for it in the next one.

Till next Friday,

Cup-Noodles

 **Chapter 26: Paperwork**

 **AFTER ACTION REPORT**

 **DEPARTMENT OF THE MILITARY**

SURVEY CORPS

TEMPORARY BASE, SINA

SUBJECT: After Action Report, Mission No. 842-736-892

1\. This after action report is prepared by Erwin Smith on 8500522

2\. Mission information:

 _Deployed Location_ : N 34E beyond Trost

 _Deployed Squads_ : 14

 _Duration of Deployment:_ 34 days

 _Purpose:_ Capture of titan shifter Bertolt Hoover and Reiner Braun (also known as the Colossal Titan and Armored Titan).

 _Casualties:_

 _Civilian:_ 0 (mission carried outside of civilian occupied area)

 _Soldiers: 72_

3\. _Supply:_ See attached list of vendors and items supplied.

4\. _Evaluation of Operations and Procedures_ : Battalion deployed from Trost, moving in scout formation, with appropriate spacing. Battalion separated into three companies. Alfa Company was led by Erwin Smith, Beta Company by Levi Ackerman, Charlie Company by Hanji Zoe. Alfa Company was responsible for fending off titan attacks while Beta and Charlie Company captured and subdued Bertolt Hoover and Reiner Braun. When the appropriate distance from the walls as well as each other was reached. Eren Jaeger attacked Hoover and Ackerman attacked Braun. Both Hoover and Braun were able to transform before capture. During the course of the fight, it became apparent that Braun could not be taken alive. Ackerman was able to circumvent Braun's protective armor and cut the nape of the neck. Once Braun was subdued, Beta Company rejoined with Charlie Company and was able to capture Hoover alive.

5\. _Specific Problems at Location:_

(1) Encountered numerous titans

(2) Weather and Communication

(3) Transportation of dead bodies

6\. If anyone has any questions or needs further information concerning Mission No. 842-736-892, contact Erwin Smith at Trost HQ: 078.325.696

Erwin Smith

Commanding Officer


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27: Awaken**

"She's been off of the drug for a week." said Levi, "why hasn't there been any change in her condition?"

"I don't know." said Hanji, "Like I've said before, we know very little about this drug." She stayed silent for a few minutes, "It could also be that she doesn't want to wake up."

"That's ridiculous. Other people might give up, not Mikasa."

"We don't know what they put her through. Everyone has a breaking point."

"I don't think they got her to that point."

"Oh? What makes you so certain?"

"That night…when we found her, she was covered in blood. She killed the people that took her. She fought back. They didn't break her. She just needs time to recover."

"Either way, I've packed up everything we need here. We're heading back to Trost in a week….. Levi, she's not getting any better. Her body is deteriorating. If she doesn't wake up soon, we might still lose her."

A storm was coming. Mikasa could feel it. A harsh wind was coming. That night, the female voice called to her. The ever insistent voice on the wind. "Mikasa…." She locked her door behind her, closing all the windows as well. "Mikasa, come back to us Mikasa." Rain poured from the sky and thunder rolled through the clouds. "Come back."

"No." Mikasa whispered, she was scared

"You made a promise."

"Leave me alone." She said through gritted teeth

"Come back to us."

"No!"

"She was shouting into the air."

"I know you," said the mysterious voice, "you will come back."

"No! Leave me alone!"

Lighting furiously flashed overhead, light seeping in through cracks in the closed windows. Thunder came crashing down on her little hut then there was silence. The rain stopped. The early rays of dawn creped toward her. The storm had passed. In the silence, she could someone sobbing. Mikasa headed toward the sound. It came from the closet at the back of her room. She slowly unlocked the closet.

Her breath caught as she saw a little girl curled up in a ball. It was her. A younger version of herself. She saw the girl, who up to that point was so innocent. She looked into the eyes of the scared little girl in font of her and she knew that this girl had just witnessed her parent's murders.

"Are they gone?" asked the little girl, "The men who hurt my parents, are they gone?" she asked again through teary eyes

"Yes," said Mikasa, "they're never coming back." Then she heard voices in the distance, loud angry voices.

"That's them!" said the girl. Mikasa grabbed her younger self, "Trust me," she said, "I'm going to protect you." The girl nodded her head and together they ran out of the cottage. Mikasa knew that the flimsy walls would not protect them. She needed to get the child into the village. She ran down the hill, the little girl in tow. She saw movement at the corner of her eye then felt a splitting pain in her head. Blood trickled down from her forehead, obscuring her vision. She instinctively hit back and felt her knuckles connect with her attacker's face. She took the girl into her arms this time and ran faster away from cottage. Leaves and branches whipped across her face but she did not reduce her speed. She tripped on a root of a tree and stumbled down. She felt the girl slipping from her grasp. Then she saw the man who killed her mother standing in font of her. At his feet was her younger self.

"No." she said, but it came out as no more than a whisper

"Please, help me." The girl cried. The man just smiled and laughed harshly. He yanked the young Mikasa from the ground and slumped her over his shoulder. Mikasa tried to get on her feet but her world was suddenly plunged into darkness. There was a flash of light then she saw a knife, pointed at her. She blocked it and disarmed her attacked. She then realized that it was another younger version of herself. This one was covered in blood. She knew who's blood that was. This person in front of her was the girl who learned to kill.

"You said you would protect us." Said the girl, "We had to protect ourselves."

"I'm sorry," said Mikasa, "I couldn't help you but other people will come into your life. I may not be able to help you, but they will. Not only that, they will love you as well. They will be there when you need them the most. You don't always have to be the protector."

She was in the dark once more. This time she could hear heavy footsteps. She knew what that meant. A titan was coming. She saw Eren running to his house, another younger version of herself running behind him. She saw her foster mother, a female titan, then blood. A titan came running toward the children. She saw a figure flying through the air and watched as the titan fell to the ground. The figure landed beside her. From the length of her hair and the state of her scarf, Mikasa guessed that this version of her was from Trost.

"What are you still doing here?" she asked

"What do you mean?" responded Mikasa

"You can go home now. Nothing is stopping you."

"This is my home now."

"What about them?" asked the woman, gesturing to the children, "They are waiting for you." That was when Mikasa realized who the voice on the wind was. It was her own voice, the voice of her past.

"I don't want to go back to that life."

They followed after the children as the children made their way to the boats. They helped the children get on but didn't speak with them. Mikasa watched from afar as her younger self, along with Eren and Armin faced starvation, as they rummaged through the scraps of other people's trash to find some food to eat. She remembered the years after the first wall fell and the time before they enlisted. The influx of refugees were so great that many people were sent outside the walls to farm, but everyone knew that they were really sent out to die.

She watched her younger self, along with Armin and Eren as they enlisted and as they trained. Then she saw Levi. His face as unreadable as her own. She recognized the walls that he had built around himself because she had built the same walls around herself. She watched them go out beyond the walls. Every time they went out she knew that they could die.

"That's not the life I want for myself." She told the Trost Mikasa

"This is the world we live in. You can deny it but that won't change anything. The people you love are waiting for you. They are worrying about you. People died to save you. How dare you reject the life you've been given! You were never alone. Amid all turmoil and sorrow in your life, you have never been truly alone."

Her surroundings changed and she saw a blood soaked Armin coming towards her. That was the night that she was set free. She saw Levi as he lead her through her nightmares. She saw the 104th as they trained together. She saw them fight alongside her. A tear fell from her cheek as she watched some die. She watched as she and her friends came together after the wall fell. Darkness surrounded her once more. She could hear children laughing in the distance. The darkness lifted and she saw Eren, Armin, and another young Mikasa, the red scarf tightly wound around her, even in summer. She remembered the good days. Even in a cruel world, there were good days. The scene in front of her returned to her childhood home. She saw Eren standing at a distance. He came forward and took her by the hand. He placed his scarf around her and lead her away. There was still some beauty in the world. She remembered what she told her yunger self after her parent's death, "You don't always have to be the protector… other people will come into your life… they will help you… they will love you." Even now, she was not alone. They were out there, patiently waiting for her to make her choice. She knew the life she wanted and she was going to fight for it.

She found herself in a little garden. A young Mikasa was standing in front of her. She looked at this version of her and realized that this girl was who she was before her parents died. A woman came into the garden and Mikasa's heart stopped as she saw her mother standing in font of her. Tears streamed down her face and her mother came and held her tightly.

"I love you, Mikasa." She said, wiping the tears from Mikasa's face, "You're all grown up."

"I miss you so much." She sobbed into her mother's shoulder. Mikasa felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned to see her father. She pulled him into her embrace.

"I'm sorry I couldn't protect our family."

"It's not your fault." said Mikasa

"I'm sorry that my blood has brought you so much sorrow." said her mother, "I hope that one day, it will give you pride and joy. May the memory of our ancestors live on through you. May you be blessed in all you do and may the wisdom of those before you guide your feet. This is my wish for you." Her mother leaned in, sealing her blessing with a kiss on her daughter's forehead. Mikasa held them tight, knowing she would have to let them go.

"I love you." said Mikasa, "You don't have to worry about me. I have already found happiness and I am content." Mikasa let them go and took the girl by the hand, "You will go through so much in your life. There will be a lot of sorrow and pain but there will also be joy, friendship, and love. You will survive and you will grow up to be a warrior."

She kissed both her parents good-bye and bowed before them. Instead of turning to leave, she moved her hands in the air, forming the first move in the Fire Maiden's dance. This dance would always remind her of her time spent in captivity. However, this dance also represented the legacy her mother left behind for her. This dance, the dance she was never able to perform for her father, would be her final good-bye to them both, her right of passage into adulthood and her acceptance of her heritage.

As she left her childhood home, she wept. She wept for the people she had lost and the experiences she had endured. She wept for the loss of her innocence and the theft of her childhood. She let her tears fall and her emotions run over. Slowly chiping away at the mask she had made for herself. This was the first time in her life she had ever allowed herself to openly grieve, to acknowledge the wrong that was done her and to come to terms with the death of her parents.

Levi sat beside Mikasa, reading to her once again. In the story, summer had passed and winter was quickly approaching. The Maiden had received several prestigious marriage proposals but she forestalled each one, saying she would give her answer when the first snow fell. There had been no sign of her Warrior, but still, she waited. Levi closed the book.

"I would wait for you, Mikasa, even if I have to wait a life time. Even if the seasons change, still, I would wait." Finally admitting to himself, just how much he loved Mikasa.

She walked through the meadow and into the woods. Each tree symbolized the torture she had endured and one by one, she passed them, acknowledging each one and moving forward. It took her some time but she finally emerged at the other side of the forest. In front of her was a great chasm with a river running far below. In the distance was a bridge. She could see a figure on the bridge, silhouetted by the sky. He ran toward the bridge, her heart pounded as she recognized the man on the bridge. He turned around and smiled at her.

"Are you ready to come home?" he asked. She looked behind her one last time, standing there, were all the people she lost as well as the different versions of herself. She turned her gaze back at Levi. Behind him stood the people who still lived: Eren, Armin, Hanji, Sasha, Connie, Jean, Erwin, Krista, Ymir, the rest of the 104th and the Survey Corps. They were her family.

She looked down at her hands and realized that she was holding a white ribbon. She stepped forward and took Levi's hand.

"I'm ready to go home."

 **A/N:** How did you all like that chapter? I had a lot of fun writing this chapter. I admit, it's a bit rough but I didn't have that much time to edit. I really liked writing about Mikasa at different points in her life and finally brining her closure. The past few chapters have really focused on Mikasa. I'll be focusing on the other characters over the next few chapters. You will get a lot of information on titans and eventually Levi's past.

When I was planning this chapter, I imagined Levi as having a bigger role. However, I think Mikasa had to go through this journey on her own. I decided to have the Mikasa from Trost talk to the current Mikasa because I think at that point in her life, she was really fighting for everything and everyone she held dear. That's all for now. Please comment and let me know what you think. Please… please… please… It would make my day :)

Till next time.

Happy reading,

Cup-Noodles


	28. Chapter 28: Memories

**Chapter 28: Memories**

"Mikasa?" Levi leaned over her, had it only been his hopeful imagination? She had moved, or at least he thought she did. There it was again. "Mikasa? Come home. We're all waiting." There it was again, a slight twitch.

She opened her eyes, the room slowly coming into focus.

"Hanji! She's waking up!"

"What?!" Hanji leaned over Levi, trying to get a look at Mikasa. "She's waking up. She's waking up!"

"Armin! Eren!" called Hanji running down the hall, "She's waking up! Eren! Armin!"

"Mikasa, it's Levi. I'm here." She smiled up at him, a weak smile, but a smile nonetheless. Eren burst through the door, Armin not far behind him. Eren knelt beside the bed and wrapped his arms around her, his cheek against her own. "I missed you, Mikasa." Was all he said but she felt a tear roll down his cheek and unto her own skin. Levi stepped back, giving the two siblings some space. Armin sat down on the bed opposite Eren and took Mikasa's hand in his own. He didn't say anything. They had all the time in the world to talk things over later on. For now, he was contented to sit beside her know that she would be alright.

A lot of people came to visit Mikasa, however she was still very weak. Her throat felt raw and her voice came out as no more than a whisper. She slept for most of the day and her stomach couldn't take a lot of food. Other members of the Survey Corps were getting ready to move back to Trost. On the second day since she woke up from her comatose, she got up to move around the mansion. The rooms and halls were vaguely familiar. They were like shadows in her memory. She was drawn to a room on the second floor. Her mind did not wholly comprehend her actions but she had this feeling at the back of her mind that propelled her steps forward. She opened the room and she was filled with a feeling of dread. She felt like she had just received a solid punch in the stomach. Her breathing became fast and shallow. She calmed down then stepped into the room. It was a bedroom with a bookshelf on one side of the room and a king sized beg in the middle. Opposite the bookshelf was a bared window with a table and chair beside it. The first thing Mikasa noticed upon entering was a blue flower vase on the table. The top of the vase was broken. She picked up the vase examining its broken edges. She cut her finger on the jagged edge but she didn't even notice. Memories from her captivity rushed back into her.

Mikasa wasn't in her room. "Mikasa!" called Levi, walking down the hallway. He heard a crash, like something breaking, at the end of the hall. He ran towards the sound and found Mikasa standing still, shards of a broken vase all around her.

"Mikasa? Are you alright?" he asked softly. He reached out to touch her but before his hand reached her shoulder, she had ducked out of reach. She slipped in under his arm and placed a jagged piece of pottery against his neck. He could have blocked her but he allowed her to continue. He felt a drop of blood trickle down his neck and onto his cravat. He looked into Mikasa's eyes and saw the moment she recognized him. She quickly dropped her makeshift weapon. "I'm sorry… I don't know what came over me me... I-I…"

"It's okay," said Levi, "you're safe, now." Levi pulled her into an embrace and whispered it again and again into her ear, "You're safe."

"I'm safe…" repeated Mikasa, knowing really was safe by his side

"What happened?" asked Levi

"I remembered something. When they captured me, they stored me in this wooden box. Much like a coffin. That is how they transported me. I was in there for days. They gave me a piece of bread in the morning and water throughout the day. It was just enough to keep me alive, but not enough to give me strength. I was stuck, I couldn't move, couldn't fight or resist them in any way.,, I was so helpless…

When they brought me here, this is the room they kept me in. I tried to escape but I couldn't get out. So I explored this place, learned how the guards moved and what their procedures were. Then… I-I… found a room full of weapons… They're far more sophisticated than the ones we have. I looked at the boxes but the dates didn't make sense. That's when I realized that those items are from the old world. I began investigating other areas mansion… that's when I got found out. They put the drug in my water. It didn't taste any different but I could feel it taking over my mind. My body wouldn't listen to me. I wanted to scream but it was so hard to even make a sound. The drug wore off just before dawn. The following day, I ate stale rice before they gave me their drink. After they left, my stomach got upset and I threw up. I drank the water from the flower vase instead. I played along when they commanded me to do things. Once they thought I was under their control, they let me into other parts of the mansion. That's when I found books about titans. I stole them one by one and hid them in this room." Mikasa moved across the room to the bookshelf. She took out several books and ripped off the book covers one by one. Each book had another cover. She had substituted the covers to hide the books she had stolen.

"They later found out that I wasn't taking the drug. One of the guards was beating a girl. I stopped him. That's when they realized I wasn't fully under their control. They couldn't beat me because that would leave a mark. They brought me out to the river, just outside the mansion. They dragged me into the water and held me underwater. They let me up just before I passed out then they put me under again. They did this for what felt like hours. But I knew they couldn't kill me. I knew that I was too expensive, so I held on, refusing to give in. They brought me back inside and I saw the girl I had saved. She was tied up and I could see that she had been crying. Her eye was swollen and I could see bruises all over her body. They said that for every wrong thing I did, the girl would be punished. They hit her in the exact same places I hit the guard. They hit her for every time I said no. So when they asked me how I got away with not taking the drug, I told them. The head of security took the blue vase from my room and smashed it across the girls face. Then he told me to drink the drug if I wanted the girl to live. I drank it but before I lost all awareness of who I was, he slit her throat with one of the broken pieces of the vase. They strengthened my dosage and that was when I was truly imprisoned."

 **A/N:** That's it for now. I hoped you enjoyed this chapter. I want to do a shout out to RachelGarfield12, xXTomboysRuleXx, EVI-ACKREGER, jacoin2002 and YouTalk2Much Halo. I am very thankful for your comments. It really warms my heart to know that the reader understands the ideas and emotions I want to communicate in my writing. I actually cried when I wrote the scene between Mikasa and her parents…..anyway…. I am working on the next chapter and am very excited about how it is turning out.


	29. Chapter 29: Tartarus & the Titan War

**A/N:** Thank you all for your support. Shout out to RachelGarfield12, juliaslater286, and xXTomboysRuleXx. I'll admit that the last chapter was rushed. I didn't have that much time to write/edit that chapter and I needed Mikasa to remember where the books were and what she had done before they left for Trost. I am planning to rewrite that chapter along with several other chapters once I have time. I'm sorry for compromising the quality of the story. Thanks for your comment, xXTomboysRuleXx, I needed to hear that. Anyway, I am giving you the next chapter one day early because I'll be out of town and won't have time to post this chapter tomorrow.

Happy Reading!

Cup-Noodles

 **Chapter 29: Tartarus and the War against the Titans**

The trip back to Trost was uneventful. Mikasa was asleep the back of a wagon for most of the trip. Hanji had all the books and technology from the old world packed up. It was a slow trip but they finally arrived back at HQ. As soon as they arrived, Armin went to his desk with the books about titans. He searched the pages carefully, taking meticulous notes. He did this day after day, only stopping to sleep and eat.

Most of the books had nothing to do with science. Several of them were categorized under something called "Greek Mythology". The Titans were children of Uranus and Ge, Heaven and Earth. The Titans ruled the world for a season but their children, the Olympians, rose up against them. For ten years, they fought to no avail. However, Zeus (son of the Titan Cronos), freed the Cyclopes and the hundred headed Giants. Together, the Cyclopes, the Giants, and the Olympians defeated the Titans and imprisoned them in a place in the Underworld called Tartarus.

Armin closed the book. There was something very familiar about that story, thought Armin. He had heard the word "Tartarus" before. He looked up and realized it was already getting late. He hadn't visited Mikasa that day. He got up, stretched, then headed to her room. She was already asleep. She looked peaceful, and for that he was grateful. She had been through so much, in a way, so had he.

Armin was the one who looked for her while everyone was deployed. He had tortured, killed, and maimed people to find Mikasa. He had felt guilty at the time. It took so much out of him to hurt another human being. The past few months had been like a storm, tearing through his life. Graduation, the battle for Trost, the countless friends he had lost, Annie's betrayal, the discovery of the Colossal and Armored Titan's identities, Mikasa's kidnapping, Reiner's death, Bertolt's capture, and finally, Mikasa's recovery. Armin had grown, in his own way. He was one of Hanji's lead scientists and he had protected the people he loved. He had done what was right and had prevented the death of countless lives. The guilt he felt over the people he had killed was still there but it wasn't that painful anymore. He had killed to save Mikasa and the other women who were imprisoned with her. He had help bring down one of the most notorious trafficking rings. His actions also lead to the discovery of new technology and titan history. He would always carry the consequences of his actions with him but he could have peace with it.

Armin headed back to his desk. "Tartarus, Tartarus, Tartarus," he kept repeating to himself. Where had he heard that word before, "Tartarus!" he exclaimed. He got up and ran back upstairs and headed to Erwin's office. The light was still on. He urgently knocked on the door.

"Come in" called Erwin. Armin entered and saluted.

"Commander, I need to see the interrogation transcripts of Bertolt Hoover." Commander Erwin stood up and unlocked a filing cabinet.

"You can look at them, but it doesn't leave this room."

"Yes, sir." replied Armin. He carefully lifter Bertolt's enormous file. Erwin indicated a table in his office where Armin could work. Armin quickly read each page, scanning for the word Tartarus. He had gotten through half the file when He finally found it.

 **COPY**

 **SURVEY CORPS INTEROGATION RECORDS, 386A-087**

 **BERTOLT HOOVER AKA COLOSSAL TITAN**

 **LOCATION:** **UNDISCLOSED**

 **OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT OF PROCEEDINGS**

 **PRESIDED BY:** COMMANDER ERWIN SMITH

 **APPEARANCES:**

LEVI ACKERMAN

HANJI ZOE

ARMIN ALERT

….

Armin took out the transcript for that particular interrogation and flipped back to the page he had seen the word "Tartarus."

….

SMITH: If you can't say who you're working for or with, then why don't we start with something simpler. Why did you do it? … You keep saying you didn't want to kill all those people and you were trying to do what's right. Why kill so many people and surrender more than a third of our territory to the titans?

HOOVER: It was the only way.

SMITH: To do what?

HOOVER: You'll never understand but my conscience is clear. I had to do it to save humanity.

SMITH: Hanji, administer the drug.

….

Armin remembered that day. He had viewed several interrogations and was asked to assist Hanji. Hanji still had bottles of the drug that was used on Mikasa. Upon investigating the drug more closely, Hanji realized that it was some sort of mind control drug. However, she wasn't sure what the effect would be on a titan shifter. They had been interrogating him for weeks but they had gotten nowhere. The drug was a last resort. Levi stood behind Bertolt, his blade drawn. If Bertlolt began transforming, Levi would have a few seconds to cut him down.

The needle pierced his arm and Bertolt cried out in pain as the cloudy liquid entered his arm. He struggled against his bonds but he didn't transform. Admin could see the moment the drug took over his mind and body. It looked as if his eyes had dulled, looking but not seeing. Bertolt bend his head and his body slumped over. His restraints was the only thing preventing him from falling off the chair. Armin let out a breath of relief.

….

SMITH: Why did you attack Wall?

HOOVER: O-nly w-way to save humanity.

SMITH: How does it save humanity?

HOOVER: By…letting…Titans into…the wall.

SMITH: Explain.

HOOVER: The walls….were. never m-meant to be a strong…hold.

….

Bertolt's speech was slow and halting.

….

HOOVER: The walls...were…made to k-keep the Titans in…not out.

Th-th-th-at was the plan all-all along….

Then, we were betrayed….

Tartarus failed….

King w-wanted power….

We… o-only faithful ones left…

S-stuck to the p-plan...

S-s-acrificed ourselves…

Have to complete…plan…

People who died….necessary…save….humanity.

Without the p-power of Atlas…only hope…

I-it was the only w-way to lure Titans in.

SMITH: The humans are bait.

HOOVER: Yes…only w-way.

SMITH: What is the power of Atlas?

HOOVER: He…leader….is…Titans…l-lead he...is...

….

Bertolt began convulsing. Hanji administered another drug and Bertolt fell asleep.

….

ZOE: His heart rate and breathing are slow but his other vital signs are fine.

SMITH: Thank you. I think that's enough for today.

ACKERMAN: If the humans within the walls are bait, who are the humans he's saving?

….

That was the end of the transcript. Bertolt hadn't reacted well to the drug and he fell into a state similar to Mikasa's comatose. He woke up two days later and Erwin began his interrogations again. However, he didn't use the drug again. He wanted Hanji to run tests on her new titan captives, Sawney and Bean 2.0.

"I think I know what Bertolt was talking about." said Armin, "He mentions several things that didn't make sense but I have a theory. He says that he is trying to save humanity by destroying the wall. Then he mentions Tartarus and the power of Atlas. He also confirmed that the humans inside the walls are bait." Armin looked up at Erwin, making sure he was following along. "At first we thought he just confused and didn't know what he was saying. Well, I just went over some of the books that Mikasa found in the Mansion. One of them talk about the origin and fall of mythical creatures called Titans. Atlas was the leader of the Titans in the war against the Olympians. When the Olympians won, they imprisoned the Titans in the Underworld, in a place called Tartarus."

"But like you said, that story is mythical."

"Yes, but Bertolt also said that the humans inside the wall are supposed to lure the titans inside the walls. What if the walls are a cage, the counter part of Tartarus for our Titans?"

"That's a big if."

"Hoover could have destroyed the walls at any time but he waited for years before destroying Trost. I think he waited so that the titans could have enough time to enter and occupy the area between Wall Maria and Wall Rose. What if _all_ the titans are already in that area? What if that's the reason he struck again? I know I don't have that much evidence right now but if I'm right, then the titans are already contained between Wall Maria and Rose. The only downside is they're between us and the rest of the world. We just need to find a way to get to Wall Maria without being eaten."

 **A/N:** Hope you guys enjoyed that chapter. I hate to leave you hanging but I have several major Exams in the next two weeks.

 **-10 Second Vent Session:** Right now I'm going crazy, trying to figure out why I decided to take summer classes. Oh, right. I wanted to graduate early….yeah…. WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO YOURSELF?….you gotta do what you gotta do… Okay, I'm done. **Vent Session Terminated-**

The fall semester starts up at the end of this month so I'm not sure I'll be able to post a chapter every week. I will try to get a chapter out by next Friday, but it probably won't be that long. As always, let me know what you think.

Till next time,

Cup-Noodles


	30. A Mother's Poem

A Mother's Poem

 **A/N:** Hey guys! Unfortunately, I didn't have time to write a full chapter. I'll try to get one out by next week. As a peace offering, I have written a short poem from the perspective of Levi's mother. It is the advice of a dying woman to her son just before she leaves him to face life on his own. I have my final exam on Tuesday so wish me luck! Without further ado, I present to you "Breath."

Breath.

Just breath.

Forget about the urgency of time.

Don't fret.

Don't rush.

Remember who you.

…

Don't let yourself be swayed by the chaos round about you.

Storms will come and go,

But you, dear child,

Will stay.

You will survive.

…

You were born for greater things than this.

But, alas,

We live in a cruel world.

There is no gentle path.

There is no easy road.

Life is not fair, I know.

Believe me, I know.

…

Your life is not made up by what you are given,

Life is what you make of it.

A person is not defined by his circumstances

He is defined by his actions,

His reactions to the stimulus that is life.

…

There are things in life you cannot change.

There are things you must accept.

However, this does not mean

That everything that is should remain the same.

You will need wisdom, discretion, and a sound mind.

…

Do not fight every fight.

You cannot right every wrong.

You must understand the circle of influence.

This is not something that should limit you,

It is something you must learn to expand.

You can't change the world

And those around you if you do not understand yourself

…

You must learn to control your mind and body.

Greater men have fallen for lack of self-control.

You must learn to tell the difference between "What should be done" and "What can be done"

Learn to discern truth from falsehood.

Only then will you know right from wrong.

…

There is a balance to life

It is up to you to find it.

Once you find it,

Once you have understanding

Once you have wisdom

Fight for what is right.

…

When darkness closes in around you,

When the rain comes crashing down,

When storm clouds won't abate,

And there is no one to support you,

…

…

Breath.

…

Just breath.

…

And remember who you are.

…

You are my son.

My kind and loving son.

This life we live will harden you.

It will teach you to close your heart to others.

But remember that you are loved.

And when I am gone, remember that you _were_ loved dearly.

…

The world is a cruel place

But there is beauty amid the heartbreak.

You were created from pain and anguish.

My boy.

You are mine.

And you are loved.

…

When your fears rise up against you.

When your enemies surround you,

…

…

Breath.

…

Just breath.

…

Remember who you are.

…

You are loved and you are mine.

…

…

…

Remember that.

…

…

Once you find your center,

Once your mind is clear,

Once your fear and rage are in control,

Take up your sword and fight.

For you are a man of action,

Not defined by what you were give

But by what you've done.

…

 **A/N:** I hope you enjoyed this poem. If you want to see more poems like this, let me know.

I was trying to put the idea of "fighting for what is right" into words. I think that each person should fight for what is right. However, I also think that one must understand his/her own person and capability before springing into action. Action without a proper plan, understanding, and wisdom will fail (or at least not reach its full potential). That is what Levi's mother is trying to say. You can do so much but you can't just start fighting without a proper assessment of the situation. Anyway….. I want to know if I've been able to communicate this to my readers. Please let me know if you got that message from reading this poem or not.

Thank you jacoin2002! Yes, there will be some titan battle scenes coming up in about three chapters. There will also be some RivaMika fight scenes in the meantime.

Till next time,

Cup-Noodles


	31. Chapter 30: Eye of the Storm

**Chapter 30: Eye of the Storm**

Armin continued his research, diving into other books related to Greek Mythology. He learned more about the titans and their different abilities. He also learned about the Olympians and the different powers they possessed in order to take down the titans.

Hanji researched the mind control drug, trying to make a mixture that would work on titans. Since they had no name for the drug, Hanji called it Mi-Con 1, short for mind control. She wanted to create a drug that would allow mind control without the permanent damage to the recipient. Hanji created several versions of Mi-Con, testing it on Swaney and Bean 2.0. It took her several tries but she finally came up with Mi-Con V7-A. The mind control effects of the drug wore off quickly but the other psychological side effects only lasted for a few hours.

When Erwin was sure that V7-A would not permanently injure Bertolt, He allowed Hanji to administer the drug again. At first, V7-A worked. Bertolt gave them information. Erwin found out that there was a human colony outside the walls. They were known as the Cave Dwellers, hundreds of humans who lived on a cliff face too high for the titans to reach. That was Bertolt's home. However, Bertolt quickly build up an immunity for V7-A. After a few interrogations, Bertolt was less forthcoming. He became lethargic and easily tired. Erwin was eventually forced to stop treatments.

Eren spent most of his days training, gaining more control over his titan form. He knew that while Armin and Hanji tried to figure out a way to save humanity, executing the plan would largely depend on him. Bertolt had confirmed that most of the titans were within wall Maria and that they could be traped there for good. They just needed to find a way to get to the outer wall and stop the titans from leaving. They also needed to find a way to kill all the titans within the outer most wall.

Levi was assigned to training the soldiers in advance maneuvers. There was a palpable change in the Survey Corps. There was this sense of great expectation throughout the whole force. It was as if everyone could feel that the end times were upon them.

Mikasa spent most of her time alone. It seemed like everyone, except for her, had a job to do. She still felt weak but she knew she had to take control of her life again. Every day, she would lock her room and concentrate on her training regimen. She focused on building muscles and improving accuracy of each movement. She practiced her footwork, moving back and forth across the room. Next, she practiced her sword work and the different angles of attack. She practiced one hit after the other in quick succession. Neck, elbow, stomach, knee, head, neck elbow, stomach, knee… she practiced this repeatedly. After days spent training all alone, she felt ready enough to head to the training grounds to spar.

She could see the blatant stares as she walked in, hear the quiet murmurs, and her name repeated again and again. Thankfully, Sash, Connie, and Jean were there. Sash ran towards her, pulling her into a tight embrace.

"Mikasa! You're back. I'm so glad you came." Jean and Connie said similar greetings.

"Yeah, me too. I was hoping to do some sparing." This was something she needed to do. She needed to show everyone she was okay. She needed to let them know that she was back, that she was not a burden, that she could be the girl she was before the kidnapping. She knew how capable she was at combat but she felt a knot form in her stomach as the moment to spar drew near. She needed to show that she was worth saving.

"I'll spar with you," said Jean

"You sure, Jean? The last time you went against Mikasa, you lost pretty badly."

"That's why I want a rematch"

After a few more lines of banter, Jean grabbed s practice stick took his spot on the sparing pad. Mikasa stood across from him, taking her own practice stick, and slipping into a fighting stance. Jean advanced toward her and Mikasa closed the distance. They exchanged a few hits and parries. Mikasa hit Jean on the leg then swung her stick up, changing the angle, hitting Jean across the head. One of the onlookers cheered. The cheer was quickly picked up. "Mikasa! Mikasa!" they shouted. It sparked something in the back or her mind and she lost focus for a split second. But that was all the time Jean needed. He slipped passed her guard and disarmed her. Her practice stick flew out of her hand and off the sparing pad. Without hesitation, Mikasa moved forward, not allowing Jean to retreat. In such close proximity, the practice sticks weren't a lot of use. Jean moved sideways, swinging the practice stick in an effort to maintain distance between him and Mikasa. He tried to hit her on the shoulder but she was too fast. Something had changed in her eyes and her movment. Jean saw her, this savage side of Mikasa, was afraid. She hit him in the stomach then across the jaw. He crumpled up on the ground.

"Go Mikasa!" shouted Sasha. Jean braced himself for another hit but it didn't come. H slowly got up, pain radiating from his jaw.

"Sorry, did I hit you too hard?" asked Mikasa. It was an honest question, without a hint of sarcasm. She even looked a little worried. He looked into her eyes, the fire he had seen moments ago was gone. She was back to being the Mikasa he knew.

"No, I'm fine. It was a good match." said Jean, his pride not allowing him say just how much that last hit hurt. He was sure he would have bruises by tomorrow.

Mikasa hit the shower after the match. Instead of heading to the dining room afterward, she went to her room instead. As far as she knew, no one had noticed. She had lost control. The noise and the sparing match had gotten to her. She had lost control over her body and emotions. For a moment, she felt like she was back in a cage. She felt like she needed to get out and the person in front of her was stopping her. She hit him twice and was about to deliver a third blow aimed at the throat when she saw Levi watching, about to step in. She suddenly remembered where she was and stopped. It didn't look like anyone else had noticed but she knew what she had done. She was too dangerous.

She left her room and headed to the rooftop. She needed some fresh air. When she got there, Levi was standing there all alone: a silhouette against the orange sky.

 **A/N:** Thank you for all the support for this story thus far. School starts next week and I might not be able to post an update for a while. Shout out to RachelGarfield12 and jacpin2002 for your continued support.

Till next time,

Cup-Noodles


	32. Chapter 31: Paths Chosen

**Chapter 31: Paths Chosen**

Levi turned to see Mikasa watching him, a light breeze flowing through her hair. She was so beautiful. He sat down at the edge of the roof and Mikasa sat down a few feet from him "I could have killed Jean." she said, her voice firm with conviction. "I got confused and almost killed him."

That incident had also been on Levi's mind all day. Mikasa was a well-trained killing machine. However, she was no longer fully in control of her actions. "I saw you watching. You were about to stop me." Levi stayed silent as Mikasa continued. "I've been training on my own. I've been getting stronger. A few more days and I can start practicing with the 3DMG again. I can take the physical strain but I'm afraid of what I might do if I have another _incident_ …" Her voice was full of sorrow, maybe even fear. "What are my options?" she asked. Had this happened a few months ago, he would have shouted at her, disciplined her in some way, but now he understood that no words or actions on his part could make her feel any worse than she already did. She understood her actions completely and that was enough punishment. But he was her superior officer and it was his responsibility to protect his men, even from one of their own.

"Retirement." He replied, "As your superior officer, I suggest you retire. You've served humanity well. It may be time to throw in the towel, let others fight. Your journey in the Survey Corps is over..." It pained him to say it but she needed to know that leaving was an option. There was no shame in it.

"I thought as much." She got up and started to head down. He watched her move away from him, perhaps out of his life forever.

* * *

As a child, she thought she would spend the rest of her life living amid the tranquility of the forest and countryside. Then her parents died. She was swept away. Her life took a drastic turn and then she was living in the city. She could become a housewife or get a menial job in the city. But Eren wanted to join the military and she knew she would follow him to the ends of the earth. When Wall Maria fell, the military was the only way out. They were starving. They had no adult supervision and no way to earn money. Armin wasn't meant to be a soldier. He had the heart of a scientist and an explorer. In a way, the military had given him that. He was now a scientist under Hanji and their missions allowed some exploration. Eren had always been a fighter. Now, he could fight titans with his 3DMG or with his bare hands. What had the military given her? It had trained her and in a way, it had raised her. She had entered the military as a teenager and now she was a young woman. She had grown up in the military. The transition from childhood to adulthood had occurred in the military. The military had also given her a second family.

During her time in service, the military had provided food, clothing, and shelter. Since all her needs were met and she wasn't materialistic, she had saved up all of her salary. Years of training and service and every monthly payment had been saved. She had more than enough for a clean start.

In the privacy of her room, she began to sob. Her body shook with uncontrollable tears. She had never seriously considered a life after the military and now, she had no choice but to leave. It was the right thing to do. She would move out of the city and live a solitary life on the outskirts of a small village on the countryside. She oscillated between sadness and relief. She would miss her life with the Survey Corps., surrounded by people who loved her but she was also ready to move on. She was tired and deep down she was glad that she could no longer stay.

She pulled out her duffel bag and began to pack the few things she owned. She removed her uniform and folded it carefully, placing it beside her 3DMG. She slung the bag over her shoulder, closed her door behind her, and made her way to Erwin's office.

* * *

"Where is she?"

"I would appreciate you knocking before barging in."

"Where is Mikasa?" panted Eren. He had just run from the training fields to the barracks, to the officers building, and three flights of stairs to find Erwin.

"She requested a medical discharge." said Erwin, looking up from the reports in front of him, "She's been honorably discharged and compensated for her time in service. She left a letter for you and a few other people," he said handing him some folded letters wrapped in twine, "If you would be so kind as to deliver them to the proper recipients, I would appreciate it. Now, I have to go back to work. Have a good day." He waved a hand of dismissal and Eren slumped away, not entirely sure of what had just transpired.

* * *

Dear Eren,

I must first ask for your forgiveness. I have done you a great unkindness, leaving all of a sudden. I know this will be hard for you but this is something I have to do. I know that isn't a very good explanation or excuse… There is nothing I can say to justify my departure. There are no words I can express to depict the turmoil inside me.

For as long as I can remember, you have always been by my side; you and Armin. It has always been the three of us. Thick or thin, we got through it together. You were there when I needed you the most, as a child and now as an adult. However, the events of the past few months have left their scars, I have been cut much deeper than bandages can heal. I need time to heal and in our line of work, there is very little time to do that. I need to do this on my own.

I have always admired your courage, your single-mindedness, your stubbornness…yes, even that. I have to find my own way now.

With Much Love,

Mikasa

P.S. I've left a letter for Armin and a few other people. Please see to its safe delivery.

P.P.S. Please forgive me, and thank you for everything.

* * *

 **Three months later**

 **At the wall of Trost**

Garrison Guard A: The weather can only get better. This rain has been at it for days.

Garrison Guard B: I can barely see anything in.

Garrison Guard A: What is that?

Garrison Guard B: There's nothing there, stop fooling around.

Garrison Guard A: No, look. There's a light in the sky.

Garrison Guard B: What is that? It's coming toward us!

* * *

 **Survey Core HQ**

Messenger: Commander Erwin, you have a message from the wall. Your presence is requested for an urgent matter. A prisoner has asked for you by name. She won't talk to anyone else. She says she's one of yours and that this would prove her identity.

The messenger looked through his bag and produced an old red scarf.


	33. Chapter 32: The Promise

**Chapter 32: The Promise**

Eren could not believe his eyes. Mikasa was there, right in front of him. His friend and closest family. They embraced each other silently. There were no words to be said. Everything they needed to know to understand each other was communicated in a simple hug. They were both alright. That was all that mattered.

When he finally took a step back, he looked at her more closely, she was wearing her uniform.

"I have a report for Commander Erwin." She said lamely

"I see," he said slowly, as bits of information began to fall into place

"We'll talk to you later?"

"Yes, let's." he was still slightly dazed, it felt like everything around him was moving so quickly and he was stuck in the mud, "You've changed." was all he could say.

* * *

Eren was summoned to a meeting later that evening. He arrived a few minutes before Armin and Hanji entered the room. Levi and Erwin were already there, sitting behind them was Mikasa.

"After years of research," Erwin began, "Hanji discovered that titan's had heightened sense of smell. That's how they are able to locate humans, even when we are out of sight. Hanji has been working on an ointment of sorts to mask human smell, even from titans. With this ability, all we need to be is out of sight, they won't be able to find us.

"A few months ago, Hanji perfected the ointment and presented it to me. With the capture of Bertolt Hoover and the Old World books that Armin reviewed (recovered with the help of Mikasa), we uncovered some valuable information concerning the origin of the Titans. And information concerning your family," said Erwin, turning to Eren, "it led us to your father."

"For the past three months, Mikasa has been in Titan Territory, making her way to the outer wall, back to your childhood home and your father's research." Eren was stunned. He could feel the blood drain from his face, his stomach tightened, and all of a sudden, the room felt cold. He couldn't move.

"I think it would be best if Mikasa told the rest of the story." Mikasa stood up and tightened her scarf around her. After my capture, I was unable to function in the way I previously had. I was psychologically unwell. I intended to retire and spoke to Commander Erwin concerning my situation. He offered me a chance to serve humanity one last time. After all, it was the least that I could do after my rescue. I had a debt to repay. I accepted for that reason and because it was a solo mission. My actions would not endanger anyone else.

"The Survey Core had been and is still under surveillance by the military police. No mission outside the wall was authorized but a single soldier could slip passed unnoticed. With my horse, I traveled by night and slept in tall trees during the day. Hanji's ointment allowed me to remain undetected. When I arrived at my childhood home, I dug through the rubble and got into the basement where I found the information we were looking for. I also found various machines and scientific objects. After further investigation, I found a flying craft called a hot air balloon. With it, I was able to travel back here safely with the information and technology I found."

* * *

"There's so much in between us." said Eren

"I'm sorry, I did what I thought….what I think is right. You would have stopped me if you knew I was leaving."

"Yes, I would have. There's nothing to apologize for… it's just circumstance… I'll always love you, you know? No matter what you do, you will always be my sister. But we've both moved on, grown up. We're not the same people anymore. And we don't know each other like we used to. I hope you find someone to confide in. We both know that person isn't me anymore."

* * *

 **On a rooftop, three months earlier**

"Retirement." He replied

"I thought as much." She got up and started to head down. He watched her move away from him, perhaps out of his life forever. Months ago, when he had lost Petra, she had been there for him on a rooftop just like this. Now, she needed him more than ever and all he did was tell her to leave the only job and family she had ever known. He was her friend for crying out loud! But at the same time, what kind of friend would ask her to stay and risk her life again and again. He jumped to his feet and ran after her. He pulled her into an embrace just as she had so many months ago. He held her tightly and felt her convulse as she began to cry.

"Do you remember the night, just before graduation? When I tried to convince you not to join the Survey Corps?" she nodded into his chest, "I still remember what you told me that night. You said that "This scarf, was a promise to defend the people you love and to never give up. You said that this scarf signified your refusal to be a victim. This scarf is a statement that you control your own fate and a refusal to let the Titans continue to terrorize humanity. If you want to leave, that's fine. I will support you, no matter what you choose. But I want you to know that you don't have to choose retirement. I will help you in whatever way I can. I believe you can overcome. The fact that you woke from that comatose is proof of how strong you are. I've trained you before and I'm willing to do it again ."

"I believe you can get through this. I don't know how but I want to help you. I see a skillful soldier and a capable young woman. I think you would succeed whichever path you take. If you think leaving the Corps is the best thing for you, then I will support that decision. If you want to stay, I'm willing to help you in whatever way I can."

 **Later that same night**

Erwin: So what will it be?

Mikasa: I choose the Scouts.


End file.
